Choices to be made
by stelenaarelovely
Summary: Completely S4: "You can t run away or hide, forget or simply die, (...) If you are immortal, no choice you make will finally turn out right"
1. Chapter 1

**Hello!**

_Well, to tell the truth, I don´t really know what to write :D_

_I am VD addicted, which I guess most of you are._

_I´m not a native-speaker, so please, feel free to give me grammatical advices, if necessary._

_Although Season 3 I still televised in my country, I had to satisfy my curiosity on May, 10th. (Thanks youtube)_

_But I am evenly divided._

_I guess, Season 4 is going to be tough._

_I assume, the plot will head to one particular direction._

_So, I decided to write a FF in which the story goes my way ._

_Just the way I´d like it to be._

_And maybe, so do you._

_I´d love to read what you think. So feel free to review, but most of all:_

_Enjoy reading _

* * *

**Choices to be made**

_Prologue_

In life you´ll be going to set several choices.

Some choices are less important than others.

But making the decision is what really matters

Sometimes a single choice can change your entire life, your existence, turn your life upside down.

Others just fade away over the decades of a lifetime, maybe they don´t even are kept in your mind.

But what if your choices would not influence decades but centuries?

And you can´t run away or hide, forget or simply die, because you are immortal.

And in this "so called ending", all you have left is regret.

If you are immortal, no choice you make will finally turn out right.

* * *

_Chapter 1_

Getting used to mysterious, unknown, scary circumstances has always been one of Elena´s greatest abilities.

Even now.

The car crash on Wickery Bridge that finally turned her into a vampire was 2 months ago. Instead of hate and disgust, she felt…free. Stefan and she were together again. Equal. No fragile "human blood bag", loving a 160 years old vampire.

Just two seniors planning prom night. (In fact, Caroline acted really bossy, but somehow no-one cared. It´s Caroline…)

So, Stefan, Elena, Care, Ty, Bonnie and Matt were lying on the great wooden floor at the boarding house, which was covered with several sheets of paper: Mottos, locations, catering lists, DJs, florists…

"I would suggest, picking the motto first, so we can bring the other stuff into an agreement with it", Bonnie said by rolling her eyes at a motto called "Sex, drugs & Rock n´ Roll"

"Yeah", Elena agreed, "That´ll be best. Let´s see what we have here: "Love"

"To general. Besides, we do not want a Valentine´s party, do we?", was Bonnie´s quick answer.

"Passion", Caroline said out loudly

"Future" - Matt

"Hope" - Stefan

"Hopeful future, or what?", Tyler laughed

"Stop laughing as long as you don´t come around with any other idea", Caroline lectured him while squeezing his hand, which was entangled with hers the whole time.

She couldn´t help but recognize the way her boyfriend´s body reacted towards her touch. Seems like he didn´t know if he had the permission of squeezing and touching her as well. In all probability he was traumatized by death and being a hybrid. But rather sooner than later everything would end fine.

They were on cloud nine. She felt it.

_Little did she know…_

How envy she was looking straight to "Stelena". Okay, only a little bit, but: They had to have a couple-nickname . Somehow it seemed as if nothing had ever changed. But it had: Elena was no longer human, Stefan was back from his "Ripper-adventure" and Klaus was finally nothing more than a little piece of history that would never make it in proper history books.

Unknown or forgotten.

There they were: Against all odds happier than ever, stealing little kisses now and then, feeling unwatched.

"So El, what do you think?"

Elena blinked, as if she had just woken up from an extremely happy dream.

Bonnie giggled. How well she knew her best friend, vampire or human. "You didn´t catch s single word spoken, did you? You Stefan?"

"And I thought at least, vampire´s had a super hearing", Matt was joking for almost the first time in 2 months.

"Alright", Bonnie chuckled, "does anyone of you have any idea for a good prom-motto?"

"Stelena" answered synchronously: "Our fate is our future"

The whole group started laughing, except for Matt.

Elena started feeling unsure and uncomfortable around him. It wasn´t because he was human and she craved for his blood, No. It was because he was THE ONLY TRUE HUMAN – WITHOUT ANY SUPERNATURAL SKILLS AT ALL around here. Elena knew, his some sort of jealousy towards Stefan and his knowledge about Mystic Fall´s past were just side-effects.

In fact, they hadn´t talked much since that day. Nobody knew anything that could be said or done.

Otherwise she didn´t want to lose him as the great childhood-friend he was. And somehow she knew, she wouldn´t. Their friendship had always been set in stone. Wasn´t it him, who at least opened her eyes, made her seeing Stefan again, who had obviously been right before her eyes?

She looked to her right side smiling. Seeing Stefan having a serious discussion with Tyler about the 20´s. Obviously their favorite century. Lost in her own thoughts she pictured herself and Stefan dancing and dancing and dancing, a continuation to eternity.

Their eternity.

But there was also pain: Jenna, Alaric…

Klaus…Wasn´t Klaus the one who preferred the 20´s? The music, the jazz… Seems like a parallelism between Stefan and Klaus. She shook her head for clearing her thoughts. But Stefan made it and Klaus was unquestionably dead. Elena shook her head now in disbelief. Tyler. He of all people, always trying to be cool and hip, stands up for the 1920´s? Funny.

_Chance number one. The odds were fifty-fifty. Chance number one had elapsed._

"Mhm, El, may I talk to you for a sec?"

* * *

"So, you still eat. I mean, um…beside the blood thing?"

They were standing in the kitchen, organizing some food, drinks and…_other drinks._

You could practically see how awkward this moment was for Matt. _It´s Elena. She´s still the same girl_, he tried to convince himself.

He looked Elena straight in the eyes. And with what he saw in them it was almost possible to forget what she was: Her smile. The brightest and trust fullest smile imaginable.

She stood in front of the refrigerator, taking several blood-bags out. "Actually yes" – she laughed – "you know me. I´d die without having my chicken with Parmesan at least once a month." She turned her back on him, opening the microwave, to bring the bags to body – temperature.

She hadn´t reckon on this reaction. Not until she heard Matt gasping. "I´m just saying"

Embarrassed as she was, she discontinued her action. "Any news about Kelly? It´s been quite a while, since…", a very angry, very desperate Matt interrupted her.

He couldn´t deal with that. He just couldn´t. Don´t you try acting like everything´s fine, Elena. It´s not even closely to being fine !"

Elena kept her eyes on him, his chest rising up and down as if he just ended New York marathon. His faster heartbeat was like an unfamiliar yet comfortable…music to her sensitive ears. _Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale… better._

"I don´t know, what you´re talking about" – her former warmly expression had changed to a deadly look that she wasn´t afraid to show him. Some kind of gift or curse – whatever you like – she wasn´t afraid to give someone a piece of one´s mind. Also inconvenient thoughts

She clawed her fingernails into the sink. _Did he really ask for a conversation to tell her that? _Despite her wish this damn radio silence would end, she found herself wishing they hadn´t started talking at all. "At least, we´re both alive"

He dropped his head and said silently: "If you say so. For me, it depends on the individual point of view"

Elena could do nothing but stare at her "_oh so great childhood-friend"_

The anger she had felt was gone and replaced by disappointment. A feeling she had hated as a human, but even more now.

_Emotions are vampire´s greatest weakness._

Anger and similarly emotions make you invulnerably and strong, disappointment and guilt make you as weak as you could be.

"So, what do you want to tell me?" – She glared at him.

"Nothing…nothing" – he replied, fending the hidden reproach with his hands. But you could tell it was a lie. He couldn´t even look her in the eyes.

"What do you blame me for?" – Elena forced eye-contact and pecked his chest with her index-finger, cornering him until his back hit the wall. "Tell me: You´d rather die than live or what?"

"No! But I´d rather died than you becoming a vampire!"

Her facial expression relaxed, taking her finger down, she said calmly: "Don´t you think, we owe each other a serious talk?"

Matt sighed – "Don´t you think I wasn´t thankful. I am. It´s just not…fair". He was clenching his fists

"Has life ever been fair?" – she asked, unsure what to say, what could and what had to be said. Could she dare hugging him? She had enough self-control, but did he have enough trust in her humanity?

She could have hugged him easily if she only had had the emotional strength to raise her arms up.

Once again, she looked into his eyes. _Pleading blue eyes._

"Eli"

"Matty"

This was it.

They fell into each other´s arms and hugged.

_Sometimes, it´s better knowing less._

* * *

Bonnie felt insecure.

You should think finally everything turned out fine. Almost.

Desisting from the small fact that this horrific danger hasn´t been banished at all.

And she couldn´t entrust any of her friends with this as horrific as unbelievable truth.

It wasn't Klaus who died, but Tyler. _A friend. Their friend._ In reverse, the clique got another member, which no-one would ever identify as who he really was. _No-one but herself would._

Worst of all: The very enemy Klaus was hanging out with them. Going to school, planning prom, being close to Elena, Stefan, Matt, Jer, _kissing Caroline…_

She eyed Stefan and "Tyler" arguing about the 1920´s. _Is he blind or what?_

In which no-one seemed to assume something was actually going wrong. Stefan tapped his conversational partner on the shoulder…laughing, happy, and relaxed.

_Chance number two…Chance number two has elapsed._

This was all so incredibly wrong. A lie, everything was just a lie.

Her breath caught. Bonnie turned her attention away from the boys, focusing it on Caroline, trying to.

"Bon, what´s wrong?" Caroline´s eyes showed confusion…and concern. "Poor Bonnie" – she caressed her friend´s hand softly – "I know the last year was somehow completely insane and out of control, but…" – she eyed Tyler smiling dreamily at him – "just look at us, now".

You could sense the happiness sent out by Caroline gesturing with all hand and feet and her sparkling eyes. But for Bonnie, it was too much to handle.

"Excuse me" – her stomach revolted. With her hand pressed onto her mouth, she stormed out into the garden. But the feeling of sickness and vomiting didn't make her feel any better.

"Are you alright?"

She froze. She knew that voice, leaving goosepumbs in her neck.

"Klaus" – She turned around.

"Smart girl. But psssschhhhttt….he showed her to remain silent. Caroline was worried about you and I agreed having an eye on you"

The way he leaned against the stairwell, arms crossed over his chest, was a sole provocation.

"I´m waiting, dear" – "What are you driving at?"

He rolled his eyes – "your answer: are you alright?"

Bonnie hesitated. "You know the answer as well as you know, we can´t tell anyone.

She could have sworn, there was a movement in his eyes…was it _wistfulness?_

"At least you can talk to me, dear".

_Was he making fun of her?_ In a mad rush, she had simply forgotten who she was actually talking to. Shouting: "You can talk, until you´re blue in the face!" – she paused – reveling in the fact that she distracted him – "I will never, you hear that? Never! Treat you like one of my friends. My friend is dead!"

Klaus eyes had lost their wistfulness. They were cold, angry and hurt. She could see his jaw stretching.

"If I resume correctly, he died through your own hand, not mine, didn't´ he?

He had her and he knew it. _Her deal, her decision, her hand, her fault, her consequences…_

He pushed himself off the stairwell, heading towards the front door.

"Lest we forget: Don´t you dare coming in my way, little witch"

_Her choice_

* * *

It was dark…pitch black. Just the way he wanted it to be. And he was alone. Only the three bodies were lying in his room. Sucked dry. He wallowed in self-pity. God knew, he had enough good reasons. The last 150 years, his existence, his brother, who he hated but loved as well

_Her._ The one girl that was able to revive his humanity…

He knew, he didn´t deserve her, but…_"It´s always gonna be Stefan"._ It hasn´t been a willful misrepresentation. He knew her. She hadn´t done that on purpose giving him hope. He just wanted there to be hope.

He sighed. She needed to be happy. In the end that´s all that counts.

He needed another snack.

_She had made her choice and so did he._

_Choice number three_

* * *

**Cut!**


	2. Chapter 2

Choices to be made

_I´m so happy about the positive feedback you guys gave me – after one chapter only – Never have I expected that! Thanks!_

_I totally forgot to say that this is totally going to be a full-length story._

_I can tell you that the plot is on my mind but I´m still not sure about the number of chapters._

_But I´m trying to prescribe a few chapters on weekend, so maybe this will give me a hint._

_Special thanks to: xBravex, kassoug4, Supernatural-Girl17 (Thanks for the link. Unfortunately, I couldn´t watch it. Could you please tell me what it was? I´m curious),_

_Booklover 457, TheInstantClassic, TVDlover99, drigdibleplumstealer99, VD-maniac, Tigger23_

_Like the last time: Enjoy reading , tell me what you think and of course: Please give me grammatical advices if necessary._

_It´s time for fluff _

* * *

_Chapter 2_

„Say that again!" – She was beside herself with rage. _Vampires. How much she hated them. _But - oh Jesus – her best friends were vampires. If that wasn´t irony, she didn´t know what was.

"No, you don´t understand me…" – He interrupted her _again. _She made a note to herself: No more phone calls! One-on-one interviews only! She clenched the mobile phone, stuck between her shoulder and ear, harder.

Despite herself her dialogue or _monologue_-partner (he hardly let her speak two sentences in a row…) seemed to be as cool as a cucumber.

If she´d continued walking circles she would have to find an explanation why her carpet was suddenly raped.

"I´m saying this once and once only: I don´t care if you think this story has ended. I can assure you it hasn´t. It had just begun."

-"…"-

"We had a deal"

-"…"-

I´ll give you "no contract". You wanted me to save your brother´s cursed life without the whole Doppelganger-business coming in the way…"

-"…"-

"Yeah, so did I. The discrepancy is that I sacrificed two lives while you hardly sacrificed more than an envelope"

-"…"-

"No, I don´t agree. You didn´t fulfill your part! I said: "_Klaus-free!" _ Instead of that I have to act if he was truly my friend. Worst of all I have to stay placid while he´s kissing my best friend who naturally thinks, she´s kissing her real boyfriend!"

Bonnie tapped herself on the shoulder metaphorically. Leaving her carpet alone, she sat on her desk chair, taking her timer. "Alright, where do we meet?"

* * *

"Have you ever thought it would be like this again?"

Elena turned her head on the pillow so that she could lie face to face with her boyfriend.

"Stefan…"- she appealed him again. Trying not to wake him by the slender movements her fingertips made on his skin.

She still couldn´t fully catch how lucky she was. Not only, had she got _her Stefan _back, she´d be able to wake up with him every single morning forevermore.

Gazing over to him, she noticed how adorable he looked, sleeping: Lying on his side with his left cheek pressed into the pillow. She´d bet he was going to have reprints of it all over his cheek. He was a sleepyhead.

"Mmhm? What´s wrong? You seriously wake me up at midnight?" He peeked at her with one eye open which made him appear even more dozily.

When she didn´t answer but looked at him, Stefan´s inner warning-bell which has always been reliably at his service, started ringing. Above all, then it was because of Elena.

He still had to grow accustomed to this reality. A reality that didn´t scare him to death.

He had leaned himself on his elbows, his upper body was now turned towards Elena – if he´d lost balance, he´d have fallen right on top of her – scanning his girlfriend's body language.

Elena started roaring as she saw Stefan´s face that - you could literally tell - had a big question-tag on it.

Although Elena was his soul mate, and he was quite proud to say that he was able to read her like an open book, he was beyond confused. Looking down on her – with her long brown hair spread all over her pillow, her hand resting on her thin stomach, trying to get rid of this stomach ache caused by…- yeah, by what, actually?.

He resigned and let himself falling back but not without pulling Elena with him, so that she lied fully on his chest.

Being surprised, Elena swallowed her laughs. Two months ago he would have been scared to drown her with such a spontaneous action.

Elena started squeezing and twitching him so that he would make a cuddly pillow for her to rest on.

Stefan stroked her back abstractedly with his fingertips. Caught in memories of a drowning Elena -without a heartbeat and no shining in her beautiful chocolate-brown eyes-

"_Baby wake up. Don´t you die tonight" – The light is dim. But it is not as dim as the light inside his heart is. The light, he had been guided by had faded away only minutes ago. Maybe. Certainly, it was hours ago. But it was just minutes since the doctor had told him, she´d past away. He never knew he had so many tears to be cried out. He had done what she asked him to. But he would regret this choice eternally. Choice number four. At the least he knew they had made this choice corporately. Everything else would have killed her as well._

He felt a touch on his shoulder. _Could it possibly be? _

"Stefan…_there is a voice, her voice….but she doesn´t move at all_

"Stefan!"

"Steeeefan!"

"Stefaaaaan!"

Suddenly he found himself back on his bed…at midnight…with her.

His breath had sped up. He was gasping for filling a lack of air that naturally couldn´t – needn´t – to be filled. "What did you say?"

She waited and presented him with one of her heart-melting smiles.

"Been dreaming?" – She teased him

"Yeah, I´m sorry" – Staring up at her while running his hand over his messy hair.

She sat up, positioning herself on his lap, her knees angled beside him, supported by her palms pressed on his chest. She looks down on him:

"Is something bothering you?" – She held his stare and all he could do was raising his hands in surrender –"Tell me", she said kissing him softly on the lips.

He caught the alarm-clock. Almost 1 o´clock. He tried to sit up and leaned his head against the bed-head. Elena lain down beside him, cuddling herself into his arms and entangling their legs together as usual.

Elena knew him well enough to tell that giving him the time he needed would be by far the best strategy.

Stefan had always reminded her of a philosopher. The way he was able to quote all Shakespeare, Socrates, Pride and Prejudices', Wuthering Heights…etc., impressed her. She´s always been drawn into the movement of his lips.

He always has been magical with words: Hearing him confessing his love to her in his own words, beware that he had read and seen and heard more undying love stories than could possibly be counted, felt simply heavenly.

But every rose has – no matter how beautiful and unique she might be – a thorn. Stefan confessed feelings excellently when it comes to love but he was afraid of showing how he truly felt about himself, his inner demons that visited him from time to time.

How often had he tried to scare her away? It never had worked and never would. She smiled warmly at him, repeating: "Tell me".

Instead of an answer Elena felt his grip around her shoulders tighten.

"It´s not worth mentioning" – he tried to assure her as well as himself.

She had her eyes still lingering on his face. He was her soul mate. She was able to read him like an open book. Therefore all she said was: "You´re right"

He looked at her confused. "See" – she placed her chin onto his chest, drawing circles onto his stomach – "Nothing you worry about is actually worth it, I mean, we´ve been through so many horrible things." – Stefan nodded and closed his eyes in relief.

"But" – his eyes snapped open immediately by the calming sound of his love´s voice. "All this we had been faced with by destiny, brought us together."

"But your life…" – His voice was weak.

"My life" – She sighed. How could she make this clear to him? –"My life, my HUMAN life might be over. Yes. – Her voice didn´t show a hint of sadness – "but my true life began when I met you for the first time" – she squeezed him- and it had culminated in becoming equal to you in the very end.

_Choices number zero. – Dying and rebirthing - The fundamental one that birthed any other choices._

Tears ran silently down his cheek. The familiar and comforting touch of her thumb stroking his cheeks and wiping away his sadness calmed him.

"Don´t you cry. I just declared my eternal love to you"

"I know" – He laughed – "After all that had happened I still don´t quite believe we made it. You know…as a couple –he added shyly

"I understand what you mean" – She giggled – I sometimes can´t believe it either."

"Shall I nip you?" – He offered jokingly.

"Thanks but no. – She smirked – "you´d better kiss me."

* * *

"And when I was six my Dad and I were horseback riding." – "No need to be surprised, Mister"

"I am surely not" – Klaus answered.

It had become a ritual: Sitting there at night in Caroline´s room on her cuddly armchair. – To be correct, he usually sat on the armchair with her on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck – talking about anything and nothing. Just to enjoy some quality time alone.

He got used to loving that. Just hearing her childlike voice filled with excitement while her face used to enlighten every time she talked about something that had made her happy. That made him happy as well.

"Heeeeellllooooo!" – He snapped back from his dream – Caroline´s looking at him with her puppy eyes: "You´re not listening!" – He smiled. Literally she was right, technically it was a cruel assumption. He always listened to her word by word. For making sure to not miss the tiniest dream or the biggest wish.

"You got me, I´m sorry beautiful" – "I forgive you " – she laughed.

One moment later Klaus felt the most tempting lips brushing softly over his. "Mmm…you taste lovely – he sounded sheepish but couldn´t have been bothered less.

"Silly you" – Caroline´s embrace got tighter.

Oh how silly he was. He acted like a lovesick guy, directly controlled by his hormones like a teenager who was unable to control his needs.

But all of this was totally worth it. She has been worth all of this. Firstly he had felt an urgent need to rip their hearts out of this little moral witch and his perfidious brother.

But step by step he came to the conclusion that this messy situation wasn´t that messy at all. It was truly a gift.

_Chances number three._

A chance in life you rarely get once in a lifetime. He stroked his girl´s hair. Once again he was lost in thought:

This little girl who had hooked him like no-one ever before had was his absolution.

But a thousand years old vampire can´t change immediately from one day to the other. But he felt the change taking control over him.

In fact he liked it having no need to be cruel. He liked having true friends. He actually started hating himself for what he did to everyone Caroline loved, especially to Stefan and Elena. It took him some time but he figured out what a gorgeous and kind person Elena was. Stefan had been right from the early beginning: She was special and completely in opposition to Katerina. He just hoped he could make some reparations. He was glad being able to spent time with him. Although he knew, Stefan never would find out.

A bitter smile appeared on his face. They weren´t his friends but Tyler´s. He sometimes found himself forgetting it wasn´t in fact him who was welcomed. If they knew, he´d lose everything.

This damn Bonnie could totally ruin everything.

_Choices number four. _

If only he could convince her. God knows, he tried his best when he talked to her in the mansion´s garden, but…she was so stubborn. He couldn´t resent it her at all. Anyway…he…

"Tyler?" – Caroline´s voice sounded sleepy. – "Bed? We have school tomorrow."

_School..._maybe he should give it a try and talk to Bonnie again, begging her to understand him…

…laughing with Elena

…hanging out with Stefan.

O what a silly boy he had become. "Not at all, darling"

"Fine. And tomorrow night, you will be going to tell me something about your childhood. _Finally."_

She underlined the last word, simulating quotation marks with her hands. "You always manage to get around telling me something about you."

"I promise" – how should he do that? He hardly knew anything about Tyler´s life. His thought, that Caroline knew everything important because they had grown up together was a fallacy.

He definitely needed Bonnie on his side.

* * *

He sometimes did miss these former times when mobile phones just didn´t exist. Whomever you wanted to avoid, whomever you wanted to forget, could be whited out easily.

But today. Today was truly a nightmare. Being everywhere and anywhere available for everyone at any time simply sucked.

He mustn't complain about the fact that he was back in Mystic Falls after leaving this boring town two months ago. It was his choice to come back after he had received Bonnie´s call.

_Choices number five._

There he stood. Glad that the Original-witchy´s didn´t avoid him entering their location.

As he was about to grind his cigarette on the ground (yes, he actually started smoking. He didn´t know why. He just did it because he had no-one to tell him not to), he heard a clicking noise.

"Good evening Damon". Oh goodness…From all people Elijah was definitely one of the last people he wanted to meet.

You could easily say that in reserve. Elijah´s level of sympathy he was able to show to Damon was low. Nonetheless he respected Damon. Which had – at least in Elijah´s eyes - way more value than sympathy had.

Maybe that was the reason why he hadn´t complained at all when young Bonnie bared to him she had invited Damon Salvatore to join their nightly meeting.

This Bonnie did impress him. She was hardly 18, but she was an upright person. Just like Damon. In the end ´it´s almost too bad Damon and she were having an eternal fight.

But, somehow, she seemed to have trust in him. He seemed to be good by approaching problems. Of course, he mostly failed in solving it. But you couldn´t say he wasn´t taking action when it´s necessary.

Sadly, Bonnie wasn´t as trustful as Elijah was. Honestly, why should she have been? It was Damon. That answered it all, didn´t it? But she knew she couldn´t do this without him. The question was: Would she have picked anyone else instead of Damon if she had had the opportunity to?

Maybe she hadn´t.

Because she knew she had to have someone by her side that was as straight and ruthless yet caring and convincing as Damon.

Even if she didn´t like it she had to admit, she kind of liked him. Not the way she liked Stefan or Matt. He hasn't been a friend but a federate. Exactly what she needed right now.

_He looks totally bucked. Please try to contain your temper…_

"Hello Bonnie…Elijah."

To her surprise Damon was walking straight towards her, shaking her hand, while he cold-shouldered Elijah. _Bad idea…_

"How are you witchy?" – Bonnie was confused. This situation seemed ridiculous to her. _Hey buddy, how are you? Haven´t seen you in a while: How´s the family?...Oh my…_That would be tougher than she thought.

"Thank you for coming." – she shook his hand hesitantly.

"I said I´d come" – He answered not without showing that Bonnie´s statement had offended him.

Bonnie felt immediately guilty. _Great._

"So please tell me what all this is about. I have to admit I didn´t catch it."

"If you allow, Miss Bennett I´d like to enlighten Mister Salvatore myself."

Bonnie nodded slowly while Damon glared at her before he turned around to face Elijah. Mighty witch or not she simply could hide out.

She couldn´t see his face anymore but his by his voice level she could tell that he was being extra polite. Damon being so politely meant that he didn´t take this situation serious.

"I do apologize for being so rude, but I almost forgot you were here. I haven´t been here in a while so I believe I was overwhelmed seeing one of my friends again"

Not only Elijah had to hide his amusement. "You´re welcome. But I assume the apology I up to me then. I never intended interrupting your happy reunion."

They smiled at each other. Not friendship or something like that but acceptance.

"Shouldn´t it be Bonnie to tell me why we all are here on this inviting place?"

"Oh, you can entrust me. I am as competent as Bonnie is. But if Bonnie would like to enlighten you, which I assume she doesn´t" – "no harm meant" – he said addressed to Bonnie.

The addressee only shook her head. No she didn´t want to be the one to burst this high-explosive bomb.

Damon´s attention was focused on Elijah. Though he didn´t seem to enjoy this duty he didn´t seem to have a problem with it. He was used to solve his problems. No matter if they were uncomfortable or not.

"To make a long story short…".

"I ask you to do a skimp" – Damon interrupted him harshly. He was pissed. Seeing Bonnie´s reaction showed that something was wrong, incredibly wrong. And he wasn´t quite sure if he wanted to know what it was or who it was.

Elijah cleared his throat. He felt himself enacted by Damon.

"However: Klaus is alive"

Silence, there was nothing but an awkward silence between the three connivers.

Damon grimaced. _They had to be kidding, hadn´t they?_ "Nice try you two" – he pointed at Elijah before looking behind his back seeing Bonnie trying to find some shelter behind him.

"Bonnie?" – The unasked question was hanging heavily in the air.

He didn´t need a spoken answer. "How?" – He said now in a lower less sarcastically voice.

"Miss Bennett and I made a deal" – Elijah gestured towards the point behind Damon´s back where he sensed Bonnie´s heavy breathing.

"Which was?" – An unbelievable anticipation started to form in his head. By the result that followed immediately he felt the urgent need to scream. But he didn't.

"Let me make a guess" – He tried to be cool. But who knew him could easily tell that he was out of mind. Klaus isn´t dead + No-one else is dead as well. At least I am not. So I assume everyone else is alive as well. = Witch.

Damon gave Elijah a daring look.

"I must say, I´m impressed by your power of deduction".

Damon overheard this sarcastic commentary. He didn´t need answers from Elijah but from Bonnie.

Elijah laughed slightly as he saw that Bonnie and Damon were facing. The dangerous creature of the night was observing his freaked out prey formally known as a young yet mighty witch. He wondered if Damon would kill her later this night when they both were all alone.

"How could you?" – He yelled at her so that she automatically moved back. But of course, he followed her.

Elijah observed this scenery with some kind of amusement. What only has happened to this stubborn witch-girl that had told him where to get off? Yes, you could literally say, Bonnie and Damon shared a special bond.

"I—I just. I couldn´t…I didn´t want…." She looked straight into his eyes cleared her throat and expended herself.

This was Damon. A jerk. A jerk, she had tried to find shelter behind only minutes before. _Where the hell has your pride gone, Bennett?_

Her voice was sharp and clear – "I didn´t want more lives to be wasted than necessary. If Klaus had died all of you would be dead as well." –Damon wanted to chip in with something but Bonnie cut him off. – "I know what you about to say. But sacrificing more people than necessary is against nature, moral and against my inner beliefs."

"But we have to find him then. He is dangerous" – Damon argued

"May I interject something here?" – Elijah thought this was the best moment for coming back into the discussion.

"Be my guest" – Damon said, getting slightly impatient

"Firstly Klaus isn´t dangerous anymore" – Damon laughed.

"Secondly " – Elijah continued completely unimpressed by Damon´s behavior – "Klaus has no more need to harm Elena or anyone. Elena became a vampire. The Doppelganger-line is extinguished.

"Do you truly believe what you´re saying? Because I can´t swallow it. It´s literally stuck in my throat."

"I understand you, but…" – Elijah gave him a deadly look. "Could you please let me finish what I need to say?"

Damon made a movement with his hands.

"The show-stopper is that Klaus is still in Mystic Falls"

Damon was confused: "When why hasn´t anybody seen him yet? – Damon´s eyes narrowed into slits. – "You are his brother. Who but not you should hold contact with him?"

Elijah smirked – "Partly right and party wrong: Although I know where he is, I haven´t talked much to him lately. But Bonnie had."

Bonnie looked shyly at the older Salvatore brother: Saying nothing.

"Say something!" – He ordered

"You already have the answer" – Elijah answered instead

"I told you: Sacrificing more lives than necessary is against my inner beliefs." – Bonnie finally spoke

Damon didn´t fully understand. Didn´t want to understand that was actually obvious.

"Klaus _is_ Tyler and Tyler_ is _Klaus" – Bonnie managed to say silently.

_Body switching – _Damon thought.

* * *

**Cut!**

**I hope I did your expectations justice :).  
**

**See you next week!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Choices to be made

* * *

_Chapter 3_

The room was filled with the kind of sunlight only early mornings create.

After their nightly talking, Stefan and Elena had slept peacefully. Two bodies united in one soul. Of course they were being cliché, but which love wasn´t a cliché? Living a fairytale, legalized being cliché.

She stared at him in amazement. But she was enough a vampire to know, he only pretended to be asleep.

"Wake up Baby. We´re late for school" – she stroke his cheek softly. Again another cliché or ritual. Whoever woke up first had to wake the other up as gently as possible.

"I love you doing that" – Stefan said in a small voice. Trying not to ruin this moment.

"I know you do. But seriously: we´re late for school."

"Seriously" – Stefan informed her while rolling from his back onto his side so he could wrap his arms around her waist – "I have told you countless times that I am almost 2 centuries old. I don´t need to go to school anymore." He laughed when his girlfriend pounded.

"But" – he rose his head so he met her eye to eye – "I could think of some other activity. "He let his eyebrows chuckle, aware that Elena got weak by this.

"So?" _Oh yes, two could play this game. _And he loved her for that.

"Absolutely. I know you don´t want to miss too many lessons." He slowly robbed himself closer to her. Drawing circles on her belly. Teasing her… " – "I could offer you an entire sport program" – he smirked.

It became more and more obvious to her how much more confident Stefan had become in handling her. Elena felt enormously happy about this fact. The lucky circumstance to be able to fully understand what he was and how he felt, was worth all the pain and self-hatred she had gone through.

She sighed in relief. Unthinkable, what would have happened, if she´d chosen differently.

_Choices number six._

She looked at Stefan. Her hands started to roam over his chest. _No, she couldn´t imagine losing him once again._ Being without him like last summer was more than a nightmare for her.

Why had she been that stupid? She had told herself she was this other person. That girl stuck in transition, an emotional wreck, torn apart between life and death. No, it definitely hadn´t been her. So, there was nothing to feel guilty about, was there? But the guilty conscience kept knocking at her door over and over again. Normally, at the most improper times like now. She hated lying, always had, but she couldn't´ risk him to find out. She would ruin _everything_ for…_nothing. _All she wanted was to make him happy and being made happy by him. Him and no-one else.

His tender kiss, pressed onto the corner of her lips made her smile: "So?" – Her tone was questioning yet joking – "Sport it is, then."

Stefan laughed while moving forward to gain better access to her lips, her cheeks, her jaw, her collarbone…

But she pushed him away gently - "Under one condition, only." Elena´s eyes totally hold the wag.

"Your wish is my command" – Stefan answered, pretending to have no clue what game they were playing. In fact: He knew exactly.

Elena´s lips curved into a knowing smile, while she climbed on top of him, pinning his hands over his head for denying him to touch her, _for now._

"If you do something" – she pauses while caressing his chest with her right hand, admiring how her touch caused goose bumps breaking out. – "You should do it right" – giggling as she saw that Stefan´s eyes showed both: Pleasure and distress. "Honey, don´t you feel well?"

Oh, she was so teasing.

"Why...w…ww..why…would you think so?"

It was unbelievable to him how the lightest touch of hers could make him shiver. There wasn´t barely any skin-contact. He was sure if he weren´t dead already, he´d die every single moment when she touched him. – Over and over again -.

He felt how her hand went lower and lower, treating his torso like a music-instrument.

Just as he wanted to close his eyes to experience the whole wonderfulness of her acting, he felt her hand stopping immediately, right where he hoped, she´d go. He stared at her in confusion. He had completely forgotten about the teasingly game they were playing. His mind was blank. "Baby?" – His voice was husky.

Elena giggled by the look he gave her. Pleading and huffy. _Poor boy. _" I want the entire program" – she said with a seductively tone in her voice, knowing what she did to him.

"What have I done to deserve you?"

Elena caught hold of her chin. Acting like his rhetorical question had a highly philosophical meaning she hadn´t had discovered by now.

_My goodness. Since when was she that playfully? _ Not that he had any reason to complain.

She looked surprised.

– "Baby?" – Not long and she would have driven him insane.

"I have absolutely no idea" – She shrugged her shoulders, released his hands out of her grip, about to stand up.

"I don´t think so." She felt her upper arm being caught in a tight embrace that sent shivers through her body. _Damn, he turned the tide._

She turned around so she could face him again and gave him one of those tempting smiles he used to love on her and which aroused the familiar longing in him, only Elena could evoke. And she could literally feel it.

"So, I guess, you may want to remind me?" She lowered her body painfully slow until she had his body covered completely with her own.

And when she felt his tongue slipping into her mouth, she didn´t give a damn about school.

* * *

When they arrived, the third period had already started.

They had completely forgotten about the time as their make out session went on _and on and on and on…_

Normally, Elena would have been ashamed or worried but not today. Not when she thought the entire world was hers and she was the one girl on the fair that got the first price.

A mindless smile appeared on her face, recognized by Stefan in amusement. Every day since they had met officially for the first time by bumping into one-another in front of the men´s rest room, he still worked on recognizing entirely how beautiful she was. So much more beautiful than Katherine could ever be, _ever was, never would… _Everything was just perfect. He had nothing to do, except to pass the halls of Mystic Fall´s High, arm in arm with his girlfriend.

He started shivering as he felt how her hot breath tickled his ear. "We´re pretty late Stefan". He could sense how her body trembled by giggling. "But you know what?" She looked around, maybe for some spies snooping around. But of course, during lessons, everyone was in class. She lowered her voice for telling him a very special secret: "I don´t give a fuck."

Elena didn´t know what he thought and that irritated her. Had she done something wrong? Okay, she normally didn´t use such colloquial vocabulary. That couldn´t surprise him that much, right?

It was the first time ever she was almost thankful for her sensitive-hearing. (Usually, she wasn´t because honestly, if you could hear everything, you _do hear everything_ . Especially lovesick couples enjoying some time alone, in the rest-rooms.

Yeah, if there would have been complete silence, this situation would have been even more awkward than it already was.

Stefan was stunned. He knew, he must make a funny appearance, but Elena´s wasn't less…priceless.

Even though she didn´t blush anymore he was still able to tell when she was feeling awkward: The way she avoided eye-contact, but her eyes still looking for some mysterious pint on the floor to focus on. The shy smile curving on her lips, just the one al little kid wears, coughed by eating sweets without permission to. She was just ridiculously cute.

To him, Elena was nothing less than perfect. Her skill to seduce him, to sense when he was worried or sad but not being able to sense when he was kidding her, amused him again and again. He knew her so well. _One…two…three…_

"Um, I´m, I´m sorry…I don´t know, what´s gotten into me. I just…" -She bit her lower lip, focusing on some imaginary point on the floor, right where her shoes were. "Say something, please…"

His face didn´t show a thing. Suddenly the silence disappeared to be replaced by the most happy, most beautiful laugh, Elena has ever heard: Stefan waved his head back and forth. His full-throated laugh being echoed from the school´s walls.

They surely would be caught by any minute.

"Oh come on, honey" –he took a step forward so he could hug her. Elena rolled her eyes but rested her head on his shoulder. She saw a door being opened. "Stefan", she tipped him on the shoulder and pointed over to a young man with short brown hair and glasses. Stefan wondered who the man who was walking straight in their direction, was.

As he stopped, he stood right in front of Stefan, so you could see that the man was way smaller than Stefan. He could barely reach his shoulder. Nonetheless, that man´s self-esteem seemed to be bigger.

"So." – He said in a voice full of sarcasm – "You two must be Miss Gilbert" – he nodded towards Elena who responded with a friendly smile which the man purposely ignored. "That means that you" – He pointed at Stefan – "must be Mr. Salvatore, I suppose.

"Correct, Sir" – "Finally"- the guy murmured and tagged their names from his list. "Oh, I see we´re all in, now. I can´t tell you how glad I am you two finally decided to join my lesson."

Stefan and Elena flashed a glance at each other.

"Although you seem to have a lot of fun while skipping, don´t you Me. Salvatore?"

None of them said a word. Hadn´t they already had assumed that somebody must have heard them?

"I do apologize, Sir." – Elena suddenly said. – "We overslept. I´m sorry."

Stefan couldn´t hide his smile and even the teacher had a knowing smile on his lips that didn´t quite fit to the authority he represented.

"If you allow, I´d like to know where Mr. Sanders is."

Mrs. Sanders was an old lovely lady, almost 80 who had been called back from her retirement while the head teacher tried to organize a new history-teacher. Which was no thankful duty as long as you don´t have a good explanation why on earth the history teachers in your school die one after the other.

Mrs. Sanders lessons were always fun. She behavior was rather grandmotherly than authoritarian. Tea and self-baked cookies weren´t only accepted but an inherent part of studying technique.

She mostly was interested in Stefan.

One day, while talking about Cold War, she had patterned Stefan like a ghost. And Stefan himself felt being stroked by lightning.

Situations like these are one of the many problems vampires are faced with: Being recognized, being known, _being remembered…_

I didn´t happen rarely she used to look at him during lessons when she talked about her experiences of this or that particular time. _Am I telling this correctly? I remember you, do you remember me? _He did.

_A choice set so long ago that it was rarely countable now _

_And one of those several chances to see an old friend once again. One of those easily elapsing choices that are not worth the risk. The risk to be uncovered by this particular friend and the pain you feel when you find out that you lost another friend without saying goodbye._

The class hung on her lips – literally- whenever she started chatting. History could be so much fun.

But in the end, everything runs out. That´s life. Everything changes and nothing stays the same. _Almost everything._

Here they stood. With their new history teacher, whose name they still didn´t know.

Said man continued his talk: "Oh, I am so sorry." – He shook his head, making clear forgetting his manners wasn´t his common usage. "I should have introduced myself earlier. It´s just, this is my first day here and I almost thought, I´d knew you two already."

Stefan gave Elena a questioning look but she only shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I hope you only heard best" – She managed to say.

"Although our debut leaves a lot to be desired" – Stefan added"

"Hell no! This little…show of mine should only be a lecture. I´m not the authoritarian type, normally. I´m Drew…Drew Pattery but you can call me Drew, to simplify matters. I´ve been informed that my forerunner Mrs. Sanders was in your good books, so I hope I´ll be able to step in her shoes" – His laugh was a likeable one.

"So, I don´t want to harm you. Besides…" – he came closer, whispering: "Love birds like you are, have some kind jester´s license." He laughed again.

"How did you know?" – Stefan asked suspiciously.

"Isn´t this obvious?" – Drew replied. –"Well, I got it straight from the horse´s mouth."

"Caroline" – Elena said without a second thought.

"Exactly. So let´s go inside before the end of the lesson, Romeo and Juliet."

_Seriously? Romeo and Juliet? What had Caroline talked about?_

* * *

"I haven´t told him a word! I swear."

It was lunchtime and the friends sat together in the middle of the cafeteria. Because of all the typical noises of annoyed and/or happy students and also annoyed and/or happy cafeteria-staff, where was no risk their conversation would be snooped up with someone unwarranted

To be preciously, the clique had parted in two camps: One´s was Caroline´s who was confronted with her friends throwing question after question at her concerning her little innocent talk with Mr. Pattery, earlier this day.

"We really don´t want to impute that you directly talked about our secret. But, you know…once, you start chatting…" – Bonnie failed in trying to calm everyone.

"Oh, so you don´t? Lucky me. And I was thinking, you don´t entrust me. Sorry, my mistake" – Caroline answered angrily. – "It wasn´t my mistake – firstly…" – she cleared her throat, prepared to start her address by counsel.

It was truly funny. Matt couldn´t hide his laugh.

"Oh, you shut up Matt! I don´t even know why all this does bother you. You are not even a part of us, actually."

Although she knew she was being unfair and without any legal course, rude, she´d rather…oh, she didn´t know what that would be, but she´d rather do that than confessing that she was wrong.

Matt – completely disarmed shook his head slightly, he leaned forward to let his elbows rest on the table. He tried to sound convincing and straight but dangerous at the same time: "Luckily, I am not." – He looked at his friends, one after the other, humbly. Only continuing as he eyed Tyler who nodded slowly in silent approval. –"That´s not against you guys, you know I´d do anything for you. _For all of you. _This last statement had obviously been dedicated to Caroline.

And it worked.

"May I continue?" – Caroline asked still angry but less offending.

"Certainly" – The prosecutor gave the accused the permission to defend.

"Firstly, Mr. Pattery wanted to talk to everyone _alone…_secondly" – she said, turning towards Stefan and Elena – "Is it my fault you two have to celebrate being together again over and over _and over and over and over and…."_

"And _over and over and over and over…" _– Bonnie accompanied jokingly.

"Alright, alright. We got it" – Stefan capitulated with a laugh, while Elena tried to hide her face between his shoulder and neck.

Klaus smiled. He hadn´t had a reason to smile in ages. But being with Caroline, experiencing the existence of true love with her -and Stefan and Elena as well- nearly forced him to.

"Okay" – He took his beloved´s hand, trying to calm her down. It worked. "I guess it´s enough. Caroline knows she was being improvident.

He heard how Caroline beside him snorted disapprovingly. He squeezed her hand tighter. "As well as we all are aware that we all can entrust each other blindly. But as long as we´re still here, we need to step gently. Unimaginable what would happen if someone found out that Stefan is not only an ancestor of Mystic Fall´s most influential founding families, but he indeed _is _the actual founding family."

The bell rang, pronouncing loudly that it was for the school day to continue.

"I´ll see you in Math" – Caroline said, heading over to Geography.

"Care, wait!" – It was Elena. "But you´re still planning on coming over, for girl´s night?"

Caroline smiled: "I wouldn´t miss it. Bonnie?2

"Uh, I´m sorry, I can´t."

"Oh" – The girls looked sad

"Yeah, I have..um…a date…tonight"

"Really?" – Elena and Caroline both practically screeched.

"Do we know him? – Caroline was being way to nosey.

"Ähm…yeah…um…no…I mean… - _If you don´t have enough problems you just make one yourself. Great Bonnie, really great._

"Alright" – Elena said – "but we want know everything!"

"Everything!" – Caroline repeated.

"Sure" – Bonnie simply said.

"Seems we have our own night then, guys?" – Stefan suggested.

"Great idea." – Klaus agreed, patting Stefan on the back. Matt are you in?

"What do you think, man?"

* * *

**Cut!**


	4. Chapter 4

Choices to be made

_Chapter 4_

„And thank you mother for allowing Stefan and Matt to come over"

It was really astonishing but Mrs. Lockwood had stopped to ask too many questions. The answers started to be angst-inducing.

Things you can´t change, you can go under because of them or deal with them and take them for granted. The latter was what she had decided what was best and so she wasn´t afraid to admit that being a hybrid had had influenced Tyler more than only positively.

It was to go without saying she had hardly someone to talk to. Except Liz who was in the same situation as herself.

But that wasn´t the matter.

The point was: She never has had such a trustful loving and deep connection to Tyler. And even Tyler himself seemed to be more confident. If this was the price to be paid, she´d be paying without a doubt.

"It still does appear odd to me, you actually asking for permissions."

Yes, normally he hadn´t. But he had thought, Tyler probably had done. He was a Lockwood, a part of high society.

Klaus concluded he had rated Tyler wrong. He knew Tyler was no easy character. But he had never thought of him as such a great jerk, junkie and womanizer. If only he´d known earlier, maybe he wouldn´t have had to compel him. Apparently he and Tyler were much more resemble to each other than you might think.

And nonetheless, he decided to benefit this chance. He had wanted a new life and he wouldn´t be Klaus Mikaelson if he´d had a problem with basing his own luck on someone else´s pile of shards.

"Of course I do° - he gave her his best smile

* * *

"Jeremy, I´m home"

"I´m coming !" – He gave her a kiss on the cheek. If all this craziness had brought one good result for Jeremy, it was that Elena and he were more close, it´s hard to believe but true.

"I hope you don´t think I skipped school. French fell out."

Looking observantly at her, he decided to make the lunch. "I see you are busy, so if you purchased the fixings, I assume your silence means, I should be the cook today?"

There was no reply. He stopped unpacking the paper-bags to catch a sight of his sister. "Elena". Super-hearing to and fro, she didn´t seem to recognize him. There was only one thing to do:

"Elena! Huhu!" – Jeremy stood right in front of her, wavinbg about to get attention.

"Huh?" I´m sorry. What did you say?" She really hadn´t heard him.

Jeremy raised his hand excusatory. "Nothing. I just suggested doing the cooking."

"Cooking, yeah. Great idea Jer."

Said started to worry, something was bothering his sister. Ironically he had thought after her transition things were going to be easier, less problematic. But of course he was mistaken: The problems were only different than two months ago. Taking her by the hand, they sat on the couch.

She let herself falling on it exhaustedly. "Everything´s fine Jer." The smile she gave him could not disguise her condition.

Jeremy plumped himself beside her. She refused to look at him so he talked to the wall as well. "Although I´m only your little brother, you can tell me." She embraced his offer thankfully. "Is ist a vampire-problem?"

She didn´t reply but she didn´t have to. "You can talk to me, you know." And he hoped, she knew because he meant what he said. He heard her sobbing and settled his arms around her. "Everything´s fine…shhhh….", he tried to soothe her by cradling her like a baby.

When she was ready, she´d be talking to him, she always did.

One last big sob escaped from Elena´s lips until she could manage to speak: "It…it was during cheerleader-practice and…" – her voice shaking more with every word spoken.

Jeremy felt helpless. He had an idea what she was going to tell him.

"We tried to get thy pyramid…done…and she…" – Elena took a deep breath – "he lost balance and fell….and her blood…there was blood…"

She started sobbing again. And suddenly Jeremy wasn´t entirely sure if he could really handle this permanently. "And?"

There was no need to say this all out aloud nor did he need to know more than the end of his sister´s report.

She looked at him, melted into tears, squeezing his hand violently, so he was sure she´d break his fingers. Knowing that she wouldn´t recognize, he was aware that he had no right to complain, not now.

"I didn´t bit her." – her voice was now calmer less hysterical. Jeremy himself calmed down as well – "That´s good isn´t it?" – an ineffective smile curved on his lips – "But I wanted to…so badly."

She looked at him weakly: "I´m scaring you right?"

Jeremy felt being caught red handed. Of course he was scared, scared to death because of the vampire sitting next to him. But momentarily, she was no vampire to him, she was his sister.

Not knowing what to say, he only hugged her more tightly. He stand up, intending to do the cooking."

"I love you Jer."

And he didn´t had to turn around to know that she lied there on the couch, convoluted like a ball. "I love you, too."

* * *

As he had picked up his phone and recognized the number, he knew exactly what was about to come.

Although he would meet Matt later this evening at Tyler´s, Matt seemed to have a desperate need to talk to him.

"_Do you mind, we´d go for a walk. I…I wanted to talk to you for quite a while now"_

Of course Stefan didn´t mind. I fact Stefan had also wanted to talk to him. Thanking him and telling him how lucky he is to know that Elena and Matt had a talk, that they were friends again. Seeing Elena suffering when Matt mostly ignored her was painful for him. This was just another quick reminder of Matt´s qualities.

And now, he was there and the two boys walked through the mansion´s garden. It was almost sunset.

Although Matt had asked for this conversation, he hardly said a word. He could feel the familiar headache sneaking back in. He´d always thought low of this "Twilight" or "vampire-hype" in general. If only, he´d known, he´d be in the midst of such a drama but only ten times worse than Stephenie Meyer had dreamed of. A light chuckle escaped from his lips as he was wondering, what Meyer would say if she knew about Mystic Fall´s`?

"Pardon me" – He looked into the eyes of a very confused Stefan. "Oh, I´m sorry man. I just thought that Forks isn´t able to hold a candle to our nice little hometown, sorry, that was improper."

Stefan´s adoration towards Matt only grew. Of course, the comparism did limp. But he counted it as a good sign, Matt was able to make _vampire jokes._

"Ah, you know…I tell you something: "I can tell you: There are a lot of vampires who want to be like Edward but certainly as many want to kick his ass."

The ice was finally broken. And both of them were thankful for that. Firstly, Matt was scared and unsure if talking to Stefan was a good idea. He´d always hoped Elena would come back to her senses, especially when Stefan left with Klaus, last summer. Not because he wanted her back – that was an old hat - but because he´d hoped, she´d live a normal life. With his head down casted he tried to bring the zillions of questions, celebrating a party in his head, into an order.

Sometimes when he saw Stefan, he had the ripper in front of his inner eye and he had to shake his head to erase him. This was meant to be about getting answers, about understanding each other.

And this wasn´t to be about Klaus, not in the first place.

Matt had done his very best to fully understand why , for Elena, Klaus wasn´t her first priority. This was all about unconditional love and about saving it.

They smiled at each other.

"What´s on your mind Matt? You can talk freely." Stefan eyed Matt. It was no surprise for him that he had questions. There hardly existed a way to catch the entire meaning , especially when your part is a non-voluntary one.

_But you are being forced into it. When you had a choice but knew there was no way of choosing differently._

Matt needed time. Maybe this walk would give him all the answers he needed, but in all probability, it would just turn out to be a little piece of the puzzle.

Stefan was sure it would help him, he would help him. He owed Matt that.

"She does really great, doesn´t she?" – Matt suddenly said – "Yes, she really does". And he was so glad.

"She always does. She´s stubborn" – Matt laughed.

To Stefan, Matt wasn´t the 18-year old quarterback anymore, but just a cute little kid trying to protect its friends.

"I never fully understood it, you know? How she fell in love with you, why she still wanted to be with you after she had found out who you are, _what you are._

Stefan remembered the first time he had met Matt after his return. The anger, the hate, the disgust and when he – the ripper – was excited by the smell of his fear and when he hadn´t cared about his ex-girlfriend being alarmingly close to her ex-boyfriend.

"I hated you" – _Hated not hate. _"Just from the very first day". His slight chuckle almost forced Stefan to look directly at him for the first time during this conversation.

"Do you love her?" – If Matt had learned one lesson, it was to expect the unexpected.

Stefan´s answer came without hesitation: "More than words can describe".

The atmosphere had changed. Matt was glaring at him with his eyes being furrowed. "Is that so, and why did you let her die then?"

* * *

**Cut!**


	5. Chapter 5

Choices to be made**  
**

* * *

_Chapter 5_

Stefan felt his heart racing, his undead heart picked up a stressing pace or at least he thought so. His memories what it felt like to be human emotionally and physically were two different things. But sometimes when things like this happen: An awkward and way too private conversation with your girlfriend´s ex, you feel alive. Somehow this used to be normal. And normalcy has always been one thing he wanted to hold.

Although it appeared to him that his life, which had been a total disaster until he met Elena had become even messier. But for a worthy reason: Love. And to Stefan, Elena was this love. There does no better reason to forsake you then for love. But Matt had totally hit his most vulnerable point: Stefan who always was brooding and felt like life weighed heavily on him, was torn apart –like so often – refusing himself to be happy, even though everyone else was fine.

"You can´t be able to relate to how much I hate myself for that."

"I assure you I can" – Matt didn´t even try to hide his dislike. "If I hadn´t driven of the bridge you wouldn´t have had to make a choice."

Stefan felt punched and if he was still human he knew, Matt wouldn´t only come to terms with hitting him verbally but physically. By the shining in Matt´s eyes, Stefan was sure that his offender was very aware that being hit would be less painful for him.

_Bruises go away but a scarred soul doesn´t heal. Those scares, you keep forever._

Matt relished the coiling up Stefan next to him, the silent pain, evident in his eyes. But of course that didn´t answer Matt´s question. He didn´t knew what he had expected. Maybe that Stefan would yell at him, maybe that he´d attack, that he´d show his true nature. But none of this happened. He acted all "Stefan-like" and that was what made Matt furious. Of course he was glad that Elena was "alive" or undead or whatever, but he needed someone to blame. And although he knew that the devil in this story was Klaus, he was sure Elena wouldn´t have considered becoming a vampire. "You still need to answer." The statement came harsher than it was supposed to. Originally Matt had planned to talk to Stefan amicable but somehow they had ended up fighting. _Or attacking and bearing silently._

But what could Stefan reply? He understood Matt´s anger completely and knew he was right, when he accused him offending Elena´s life, even if she herself had a different point of view.

They walked side by side but no-one had the heart to continue. As they kept on walking, Stefan finally broke the silence.

"Maybe we should take a seat" – He pointed at the only bench far and wide. If Matt wanted to get answers, Stefan would give them. It was easy to imagine this conversation would lead to a particular direction. For that it might be better to sit. He could feel Matt´s suspicious look on his back as he walked towards the bench. Said followed him hesitantly, feeling his body relaxing and let a breath escape, he didn´t know he had held.

"You should be happy. Now she´s a vampire, you two will be together forever".

Technically; Matt was right. Being with Elena after everything they had been through was almost fairy. In spite of all it hadn´t been his smartest decision and it was only logical that outsiders like Matt saw that he wasn´t prince charming but the devil in disguise.

But how do you explain something as mighty and as powerful as love? Sometimes Stefan found himself wondering when he´d finally wake up. Recognizing gladly that he wouldn´t wake up.

It was all true: Elena loved him, despite what he was or who he had been, despite Klaus, despite _Damon._

To him, his brother was the only variable he couldn´t find out. Of course, he had said he didn´t want to hear about Denver. But a little devil called jealousy visited him from time to time, telling him that there was something that is needed to be figured out.

_Choices number seven: How much do you want to know?_

Something he preferably didn´t want to know. Calming himself down by telling it couldn´t been his "worst-case-scenario" turned out to be quite a practical technique.

_Choices number eight: A choice that appears to be better in handling or bearing turned out to be a torture._

Being cut off by Matt, Stefan found his way back to present. It was almost sunset.

"Was it Love at first sight?" – "No, it wasn´t"

He was telling the truth. Although he was a vampire or precisely _because _he was one – he knew that love at first sight doesn´t happen. You can be physically attracted to someone, yes but love? You fall in love with the person itself not its body alone.

Matt seemed to swallow his answer, he continued questioning: "But you saved her form drowning." _At least this once._

Stefan almost jumped out of his skin. It was a simple "yes" or "no" –question. Nonetheless he was aware what Matt was implying. "Yes" – he slowly looked over to him, scanning every movement, recognizing that his heartbeat had sped up, but smart enough to not mention it. – "I saved her".

_Choices number zero. A life-changing one._

"And as you had seen her?"

It was beyond possible that Matt would take this the wrong way, but…

"I was frozen because I thought she was Katherine." – With his eyes being closed, he waited for Matt to explode, but he didn´t. There was nothing than a tiny gasp, lingering in the air. Stefan felt the bench crackling as Matt turned.

"So you just…stalked her because you _hoped_ she was _Katherine? _That was unbelievable and undeniably not what he had expected to hear and god knew he had learned to expect a lot.

But that´s the problem with emotions: They´re hardly explainable to anyone who isn´t personally involved. Keeping it in perspective, Matt was right to question Stefan´s love

"No…Yes" – he laughed slightly, trying to hide his insecurity. "I honestly have no idea how to make it understandable". After clearing his throat he kept talking. "I was shocked the moment I saw her…yes the resemblance was what let me pause for a minute." He eyed Matt from the side, seeing how his eyebrows being furrowed and his forehead covered with wrinkles. "I didn´t understand why she´d let this people die when she was able to rescue herself and them in no time. When Elena was in hospital I wanted to look after her and make sure to get what´s going on."

Just the first day after the accident he had been there, making sure she was fine, to keep an eye on her. He had seen her sadness and her tears. He managed to sit beside her bed at night when she had nightmares, when she hated herself for surviving but tried to be strong for Jeremy. During this time he never revealed himself but fell in love with her all the more. Even if he could not make heads or tails of it why she looked like Katherine. He had butterflies in his stomach every moment he saw or only thought of her. How she treated her family and friends or how selfless she was even if it was about someone she knew only barely, touched him and made her being loved by him for all her character-traits that even many humans seem to have unlearned.

Shortly before the next school year started, he knew he wouldn´t be able to leave her.

_Choice number nine._

He never imagined her to fall in love with him. It was fate. And in some way talking about this love relaxed him. In a stress-free-position, his hands no more being folded but casually interlaced behind his head, it was much easier to speak his mind.

But Matt wasn´t. He suddenly interlaced his arms in front of his chest, looking angrily: "But you weren´t thinking, were you?" – he snapped – "and don´t you tell me you hadn´t considered this whole vampire-thing." Comparable to a gladiator, Matt felt a rush of victory rushing through his body, convinced that Stefan would twist and turn like a snake. He was mistaken by a small smile and glim in Stefan´s eyes, Matt wasn´t able to put into an order.

"When I was with her I completely forgot what I am". Sensing that Matt wanted to make a comment, he paused. Maybe he needed a few more minutes. "With her I can be me, she makes me feel alive".

Matt cleared his throat a few times. Keep being silent for quite a time had dried his mouth. "What I don´t get" – Giving up his dismissive position he shifted his body towards Stefan.

No border anymore.

"Hadn´t you thought about what would happen if she finds out?"

As though he hadn´t. The more time he spent with her the less he could imagine her to find out about him. Knowing it would be indispensable, he just had tried to white it out. Unsuccessfully.

"Why didn´t you simply compel her?" – Matt slid closer to Stefan.

"Because I wanted it to be real. She´s the only woman I have ever loved." – Stefan laughed loudly as Matt made a face. – "You really do mean that?" Although it was old-fashioned, Matt was impressed, secretly hoping, he would find a girl he could say exactly this about. He tousled his hand through his hair, trying to collect his thoughts and all the new information.

To Matt there was only one question left to be answered: "And Katherine?"

Ironically to Stefan, talking about the vampire who ruined his life was the easiest thing. "I never loved her. My mistake was to mistaken sexual attraction with love."

Matt blinked few times to clear his view. But there was nothing needed to be cleared. This, so Stefan knew, was an experience everyone has to make on his / her own.

"And do you think…um…" – there was no visionary needed to know how difficult it was for Matt to speak what he thought. Maybe he just thought too much.

_Choice number ten: How much honesty is a virtue and when does a virtue become a sin?_

He came to know enough and couldn´t say if Stefan assumed or even knew what Matt was planning to say, maybe he´d let up. "Come on" – Stefan said, nudging Matt jokingly.

With gritted teeth he gave in.

To humans it would have been way easier to be dulled but to Stefan it was as loud as an air-hammer, hitting him right where it hurt the most. – "Do you think Damon made the same mistake with Elena?"

Stefan, whose facial expressions got out of control turned into a mask.

"I´m sorry, that was an awful question, forget about it." – Matt waved beside.

With a hoarse voice as if he´d held his breath forever, Stefan replied lowly: "No, it´s okay. Don´t worry." – He didn´t need to say it aloud what he really felt. – "You know…I wanted Katherine. I craved for her." – Matt nodded although Stefan didn´t pay attention – "…and she wanted me and although I knew that he wanted her even more or at least with nobler aims, I didn´t care. – He paused – After the transition, I knew that Katherine had played us of against each other. She had fun, toying with us."

"But she was being bitchy that you hadn´t wanted her with the same intensity as Damon did". – Matt concluded, proudly recognizing Stefan´s surprised look in his eyes. – "Elena told me".

"I never wanted to understand how much it had hurt him". – Shaking his head in disbelief, he didn´t know what to think about himself as a person. He had made so many mistakes: Some horribly and some less horribly. Not only including all the death´s caused but the hurt and anger he´d put Elena through.

"You know what?" – Matt looked up to the stars, suddenly smiling, anger, hate and disappointment were being erased. – "A love like yours are simply meant to happen. And no matter how hard it might get there is no escape." –Matt almost grew up another 2 cm´s which caused Stefan to laugh. – "Wow. That´s what my best friend Lexi used to say." – "Well then, I can be quite proud of myself, mh?" –

_So much wisdom at such a young age. There is no fool like an old fool. _

Especially when _old_ is more an _elastic word._ Sometimes you do better in shutting up than talking nonsense.

"If I were you, I wouldn´t worry too much. The thing Damon and Elena going on was nothing important". – While talking he recognized Stefan´s eyes being opened widely in shock, his breath was speeding up. There it was again: he could literally feel the little devil sitting on his shoulder, whispering nightmares in his ear. – "Oh, um…I mean…I _know_ it was nothing more than an emotionally disarray. That can happen…uh" – Matt scratched his neck in awkwardness.

_To ride for fail is no bed of roses._

Gladly, the little hero was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. God only knew in which other bricks he´d had dropped otherwise.

"Yeah, yeah, we´re coming man. See you."

"That was Tyler. He´s waiting for us."

Stefan nodded slowly. And while Matt stood up to stretch his legs, Stefan wondered – as so often – why life always had the mannerism to kick your ass when everything seemed to be fine.

* * *

Whoever has visited a book-store might have noticed this little area where you can find lots of different guidebooks, telling you what to do with your life (or don´t). Let´s face it: They don´t rely help and all this stuff published about "Life after death" or "Rebirth" are total nonsense. But it´s only human to want to know what lies ahead there after death if there dies lie something ahead at all.

At least this was a question Elena was able to answer partly: Even though she hadn´t a clue about heaven or hell, she knew unerringly about the intermediate level: Being set on the thin line between living and dying.

She was thankful for everything she had: For Jeremy, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt an yes, even for Tyler, but most of all for Stefan. Whenever she thought of him or only sat next to him in class, she wanted nothing more than kissing him senseless (an odd behavior in public. But who cares when the desire is unbearable). Therefore they often sat there holding hands during the lessons. Only to feel each other´s presence. Thinking of him made Elena happy no matter what circumstances were happening.

Along with these happy thoughts the sad one´s came instantly. She knew, she never would have met Stefan if he hadn´t had to come to her rescue. In her darkest hour she had found her personal heaven. Not for money would she consider to leave Stefan behind. But she couldn´t escape to wonder what it would have been like I she´d met Stefan with her parents still being alive?

Alaric´s words that her parents would be ashamed of her kept to devour from the inside. From time to time – like now – she wasn´t able to hold back her tears, lying on her abdomen on her bed, she looked at the last picture of Family Gilbert united. Salty tears fell from her eyes right onto the frame´s glass while Elena scanned her parent´s faces: Open and friendly. What would they tell her? What would they tell her daughter for falling in love with a vampire? Would they judge her? Expel her? Hate her? Probably yes. No, not possibly, certainly: As a Gilbert you hate vampires naturally. You don´t love them…you just don´t.

_Elementary choice_

She´s always been proud of her parents, of what they had given her to take with: Cosmopolitanism and understanding.

"_Even if you don´t sanction people´s actions, don´t ever judge them. Try to be understandable."_

She had hardly been five when she was sitting on her father´s lap, listening eagerly to what he had to tell her. She had always admired him. She was sure she used his heritage correctly, in her eyes, in his she certainly didn´t.

She used to talk at herself that they´d had liked Stefan. That they would have seen him more through her eyes, like Liz and Mrs. Lockwood did now.

She wiped her nose. This was useless. There was no way to get answers. The more she thought about it the more it hurt. She snuffled once more before she sat back up on the bed, putting the photo back onto its place.

She already had heard Caroline before the ball rang. Going slowly off the stairwell followed by less lightly footsteps, Jeremy´s. Said opened the door only a little bit, peeking in. – "Caroline´s here". – Elena´s lips curved into a smile. – "You already knew, didn´t you?" – "Yeah, kind of". – she answered airily, finally jumping off the bed."

"Don´t get me wrong but you are looking a little crinkled."

_Caroline. Of course. _How could Elena only assume her kindergarten-friend wouldn´t recognize the change.

"Come on, talk to me" – Caroline tapped on her right side of Elena´s comfy bed that already had been the center of some passed girl´s nights, showing her to take a seat. – "It´s the cheerleader-practice, isn´t it?" Hey that´s not so bad. You have defeated way better than most vampires do."

Caroline´s try to cheer up Elena didn´t fail completely, she just saw it in her friend´s eyes that this wasn´t all.

"Your Mom and you…you are closer than in the past…" – Elena could almost feel her undead heart pounding in her mouth as she toyed nervously with her pillow.

"Yes" – Caroline simply answered. Her eyes were furrowed she had no idea where Elena wanted to get at.

"You know, I sometimes wonder…" – the more she tried to speak the more ridiculous she felt.

Caroline´s penny finally dropped. With a ridiculous low voice to not scare Elena off she assessed: "You wonder what you parents said if they´d still be alive."- Elena nodded but kept her head ducked. – "Honey" – And just then Elena felt herself being "trapped" in one of Caroline´s infamous embraces. Neither one of them tried to escape. – "Just listen to me. No interruptions". – Elena chuckled slightly. Typically Caroline. Always a cool sound bite on her lips to defuse tricky situations.

Caroline shifted herself so that Elena could bed her head in Caroline´s lap. They had often done that previously. It was their little ritual. No-one can steal. – "If I wasn´t your friend, I´d tell you that they´d love Stefan from early on…" - …"but you are my friend, so…" – Elena looked up at Caroline and felt happy, more free although their conversation hadn´t become less painful. – "As your friend, I´ll tell you that they would have hated him. Maybe they would have pulled you apart or if they hadn´t…" – Caroline smirked – "…if not he would be your Romeo, Miss Juliet". – Elena was up in a flash, throwing a pillow at Caroline. – "Two households both alike in dignity" – she joked. – "Very funny. – Elena said puffing her playfully – "That's why you told Mr. Pattery about Stefan and me as Romeo and Juliet. " – Caroline only shrugged her shoulders. "To me it fits".

Maybe she was right and Stefan and she were exactly that…but with a happy ending. Wrenched from her thoughts by being hit by a pillow, Elena snapped playfully: "Are you crazy?" – "No. I just want to spend some cool time with my best friend but she…" – Raising her voice dramatically to exaggerate every word – "…always drifts away by thinking about her prince charming". Elena felt caught. – "How?". She asked with a hoarse voice. – "Not that hard. You two always get this goofy grin on your faces whenever you think of each other." – Said grin only grew wilder.

"Is it weird to say that I´d like to curse my life?" – Caroline gave her a questioning look but knew there was more to come. – "I never wanted to be a vampire"

Of all things she told Caroline. Maybe it was rude, Elena knew that but still. There was no-one who could understand her better than Caroline.

"When I was in the car I desperately wanted to save Matt. I would have died for him."

Caroline nodded. That´s just like Elena is.

"When I realized that Stefan would help me first I didn´t want to be saved…hey, don´t you look so shocked!"

"I´m sorry" –She was totally perplexed. Elena and she had talked much lately but they both had avoided this exact moment of truth. Because Stefan and her were as well closer now, Caroline knew how not rescuing her still affected him adversely.

"Suddenly I wasn´t scared anymore. It helped me to see more clearly." – Elena tried to explain what was unexplainable: A near-death-experience.

"I always had thought seeing your life before your eyes, everyone you love, was a myth."

She thought so because her first time being on the small border among life and death she had seen nothing but blackness. Maybe because she wasn´t meant to die this night?

"I know what you talk about" – Caroline said while she played with a strand of her hair. – "I saw my Mom, Dad, Matt, all of you….and you?"

Elena had seen exactly the same. It´s said that you only see what had been your most important treasure when you lived.

She had seen Stefan.

How they bump into one another at first day of school

Their first kiss

Their nights

All "I love you´s " they used to share , echoing in her head

"I realized that all I always have had wanted was right there waiting for me."

Although she had made her choice earlier that night this supernatural experience only proved to her how right she was now and how wrong she had been. She let a heavy sigh escaping her lips.

"So what´s with Damon then?" – Caroline tried to act all innocently but the way she was chewing her wind-gum as if it was a very difficult exercise she had to focus on, only showed that what a sensitive friend yet horrible actress she was.

Elena rubbed her temples. Of course, vampires don´t get a headache or get ill at all but sometimes Elena felt way too human to truly be a vampire. She had tried to solve her conscience several times. Hearing Caroline asking her the same question over and over again made her feel accused. As if she didn´t accuse herself more than enough.

She had known that Care and Stefan were closer now. And she was glad because they needed each other´s friendship. Stefan owned the gift to calm her down when she acted all exaggerating. Caroline had taught him exaggerations may be noise but so funny.

Sometimes Elena wondered would she had been jealous if she hadn´t been turned into a vampire? Would she have taken it for what it was: A deep friendship? But to see him with another woman had hurt her. Rationally she knew she had no reason to panic.

But since when is love rational?

After having him back she was afraid of losing him. She knew the transition would be everything but easy: A tough war to defend her humanity. Her emotions over boiled her.

"_When I´m with you, I completely forget what I am."_

In the past, Elena had felt overjoyed when Stefan had told her things like that. It made her feel special and it was the irrevocable proof how unique and valuable their love was.

But what was now?

They had argued a lot these days repeating the same sequence over and over again:

_She had mistaken his action of self-punishment for not being able to save her with "I don´t want to be with you anymore" – because she kept reminding him of what he hated the most, Furthermore she was more than ever Katherine´s spitting image._

"_You really do great, I must say."- Stefan´s laugh was light-hearted, how couldn´t it when you lie on the grass, the sun burns down on you and you have your wonderful girlfriend by your side who´s head is resting on your chest because she had fallen asleep while painting little hearts on your abdomen._

_Lately her mind had been fooled by her insecurity and jealousy._

_Raising her head slightly she looks directly into Stefan´s mysterious green eyes, she loves so much. Would she ever disclose all of their secrets?_

"_Would you love me more if I were still human?"_

_Stefan sighs, raising his body up so he can cup Elena´s face with both of his hands - "I don´t know how often you want to ask me that."_

_He gives her a soft kiss on his lips trying to erase her doubts. – "You are and always will be my humanity, my greatest luck, my destiny…my love."_

"_It´s just that I…I´m glad to have you…I love you, but…" – She ducks her head onto his shoulder, feeling guilty for bringing it up again. Relishing to feel his hands stroking her back._

"_You are afraid I´ve only fell in love with you because you were a human-being?" – He can feel her nodding on his shoulder._

_To hear him saying it made it sound way more ridiculous than it had sounded in her crazy little head._

"_I fell in love with you because you are my missing puzzle-piece."_

"_Why the hell can´t you just stand up and tell me that you´d rather be with Caroline than me!" – She yells at him._

_But Stefan isn´t in a snit or hurt. He smiles at her, scratching his neck: "Are you being jealous again?"__  
_

"_Oh yes, of course! This is all so funny, you cheating on me with my best friend! What…"- She can´t finish her sentence._

_Stefan walks towards her, holding her in a tight embrace. Her anger flies away instantly._

"_She´s a much better company than I am right now."_

"_Not for me"_

_"You have had a crush on Klaus from the early beginning"_

"_Elena, stop fooling around"_

"_My eyes tell me what I need to know there is something going on…poor Tyler"_

"_Oh you mean just like your crush on Damon?...poor Stefan."_

The deeper insight that you have hurt so many beloved people is a cloak. For sure, a relationship can´t survive without love, trust and honesty.

But isn´t it sometimes better to not tell everything?

_Choice number eleven: How much are you willing to gamble?_

What would the outcome would be? Stefan already knew that Elena had had to make a choice. Was there any sense in bedeviling him?

"You keep saying that it´s not important and I believe you, but…"

"But what?"- I was clear that Elena hadn´t the tiniest interest in hiding her anger.

"Do you think, he deserves to be told lies?"

"It isn´t lying" – Elena tried weakly. She knew how lame her excuse sounded simply because it was self-deception.

She was applying double standards. He had told her he didn´t want to know about Denver. This didn´t mean he hadn´t had to know. And the fact that nothing had happened since when, didn´t white out the facts.

"You don´t understand me" – At the end of her rope, Elena stood up from her bed to bring as much room between her and Caroline as possible.- "The memories I got back would only freak him out."

Only Caroline and Matt knew about her rebuild memories: How Damon confesses his love but said he didn´t deserve her, how she´d met him just right before the first car-crash.

What she hadn´t told Caroline was what she had told Damon on the phone: _"If we had met first"_.

She only had said it to sooth him after all he had been through and after all he had done for her she didn´t want him to think he was unworthy of love.

But no-one would understand let alone believe her.

"After all, we´ve found _us _again. I can´t risk it. There is no way I could overcome this. Just after it had happened I felt awful as hell and I know it was wrong." – During her speech she had started to cry so hard that she couldn't manage to stop.

Caroline´s heart melted. Softly she tried to wipe away the tears. – "Lucky you that Damon has left. If he was here he wouldn't wait long till he´d detonate the bombs."

"Yeah, how good he isn´t here" – Elena answered still sobbing.

* * *

As he had left Mystic Falls he was convinced he would forget about her, but he didn't. Although he didn´t see her daily, he thought of her. Old Damon would have felt betrayed, angry or sad but he knew that she had made her right choice. Wasn´t that what he used to love about her, was it? She had values and she cared about other´s feelings, _his feelings_. She had never even considered to double track with him and Stefan.

But he would never forget their last meeting. When he felt more pathetic than ever before:

"_I don´t want to seduce you but would you do me the honor of one last kiss?"_

Damon smirked as he remembered her reaction: A mix of fear and "I want to slap you right across your face".

"_One last kiss it is."_

And he swore he still felt her soft lips touching his.

_Choice number twelve_

Now he was back and about to enter Bonnie´s house. How ridiculous! The witch and he being undercover as a team and Original Elijah came on top – for free-.

The Mystic Fall´s travel-guides needed a revise, as soon as possible.

Bonnie opened just after the first ring. _Someone is nervous._

"Damon!" – She greeted him way friendlier than usual – " I thought you wouldn´t come. Elijah´s already here- she hissed.

"I had something to do" – he shrugged his shoulders and leaned down to Bonnie´s ear- "How good I´m here now."

* * *

Something was telling him that this was not the way a boy´s night should be. Especially Stefan seemed to be heart-broken as Matt and him arrived.

"Okay. I can´t take this anymore" – Klaus slammed his beer onto the table – "What is going on?"

Matt and Stefan exchanged a look before Stefan cleared his throat and answered lowly: "How did you feel then you found out that Caroline was falling for someone else?"

Someone else? Who? Could it be that…? – Klaus felt being twisted and turned.

"It´s not a big secret Caroline was interested in Klaus."

Klaus was looking at Matt who nodded slowly. Gladly nor Stefan or him could tell if the surprised look on "Tyler´s" face was because of joyful surprise or a hurting shock. – "Um…it was…it was okay" – What a stupid answer. No wonder that Stefan raised his eyebrows in irritation. No-one would ever say it was okay when your girlfriend was in love with someone else.

_Chance number three._

How much he wanted to scream and jump right now. Perhaps telling Caroline the truth was not as beside the point as he had thought.

"Why are you asking, by the way?"

Stefan raised looking Klaus straight in the eye without blinking he said: "Because Matt told me Damon and Elena had had _a thing._"

"Dude, I´m sorry, you know me. What I meant was they´ve grown closer uh…forget it…I suck at verbalization."

Klaus knew it was his turn now but what should he have said. Tyler couldn´t remind him of a lot but Klaus could.

How they had found their way back to each other after Katerina´s intrigue.

How he had sensed and found himself being impressed by their undying love visible a prank night when he´d compelled Stefan to bite his beloved Elena and they both managed to fight for quite a long time.

But all this were things Tyler had probably heard about but he hadn´t experienced them. So Klaus simply said: "She loves you. No matter what and if it does bother you then talk to her, she´ll tell you the truth".

* * *

"I believe we´re done here. If there is any trouble please be so kind to inform me, Miss Bennett." – "Of course."

Elijah made his way towards Damon. "Thank you Mr. Salvatore."

The man shook hands: "Don´t get me wrong. I´m not doing this for you or your devilish brother."

"I´m highly aware of your motivations." – With this words Elijah left.

"Bragger" – Damon hissed. But Elijah was still better than Rebekah.

He heard Bonnie laughing- "I´m sorry but the way you glared at each other in some mix of disgust and admiration.

"Whatever" – Intending to leave he was pulled back by Bonnie´s hand: "I know you´re doing this for Stefan and Elena."

Although she used to hate Damon for many good reasons she was sorry for him that he obviously still hadn´t arrived. Still alone and searching.

"You know me Bonnie" – He smirked- "I´ll see you at school"

"I do". Maybe Damon was more than what was visible on the surface.

Just as Bonnie´s front door had been closed, Damon felt a piercing pain running through his entire body: vervain.

* * *

Her Dad had just dropped her off. In the middle of nowhere. Telling her he had some business to do. She was 16. What business could it be in the middle of the night that she shouldn´t join.

She stood on the familiar veranda. Dad said, she´d go there in order to be safe. From what?

Just as she rang the bell the door was being opened: "Hello?"

"Hi…um…you don´t recognize me, do you?" _Stupid question. Her suspicious look speaks volumes. _

"It´s me, April."

* * *

**Cut!**

**Problems ahead!****  
**


	6. Chapter 6

Choices to be made

_Chapter 6_

He never should have left Mystic Falls. He was a reverent and in this function it was no question that he´d return one day.

Not only those ancestors of founding families normally do not move but he couldn´t ignore that April was supposed to grow up being surrounded by vampires.

Ten years ago he had had a talk with Grayson. Grayson and his wife Miranda had been his best friends and the epitome of an honorable founding family.

It was hear-braking when April and Elena had to say goodbye. Although she was as old as Jeremy, none of the girls had let her felt being excluded.

Grayson hadn't showed any understanding, for him to leave. Alright, the Gilbert´s themselves couldn't leave, even if they had wanted to. If you hadn't a responsibility you probably can leave easier.

Never would he have thought that Mystic Falls would be in vampire hands, unnoticed by Liz Forbes or Carol Lockwood.

Unimaginable if he hadn´t seen Damon Salvatore, sucking dry a young woman hardly older than his own daughter.

At first he had been shocked but then his fighting-spirit kicked in, telling him what to do. The newspaper-archive had helped discovering the vampire: _A Salvatore._

Mystic Fall´s most remarkable founding family.

He was tied with vervain ropes. His plan seemed to be working. Who would have thought he´d kill two birds with one stone?

What a luck that he´d dropped April at the Gilbert´s. Concerning vampires there is no place saver in Mystic Falls than the Gilbert house.

_Choices number twelve._

* * *

Stefan laughed at how childlike his girlfriend sometimes acted whenever she wanted him to do something for her.

She had her eyes closed, lips puckered and her arms were tangled around his waist, possessive almost to let every girl know this boy was hers and _only hers. _

"And what is it you expect me to do now?"

Losing her grip, she smacked him: "Wasn't that obvious? I waited for you to kiss me!"

"Oh that. Sorry I didn't get the hint, I thought we´d be doing hardly anything different from kissing."

"You´re right" – she said with a sly smile, standing on her tip-toes, so their mouths were on the same height. – "but I thought that with kissing we wouldn't risk to cause indecent behavior."

"Mmmmmh…" – he answered as his lips started to brush lightly over hers. His scent was making her dizzy and her eyelids fluttered, making her whimper as she felt his tongue touching her bottom lip.

Just as she wanted to open her mouth welcoming his tongue, they were interrupted: "Elena, hey!" By turning around Stefan could make out a tiny girl with shoulder-heighted brown curled hair. Her bag seemed to be too full or too big for her (or maybe both). Struggling to keep her balance she tried to rush through the hallway. "Excuse me…Sorry….Um…I´m so sorry…"

"You know that girl?" – Stefan whispered into Elena´s ear making her shiver.

"That´s…Hello April!"

A very out – of breath April appeared in front of them and almost stumbled over her own feed by trying to welcome Stefan effusively. She finally decided to put her oversized and overfull bag on the floor. – "I didn't interrupt you two, did I?"

"Nah, no need to worry" – Stefan gave her his best smile, it was when she realized who she was talking to- - "I am so sorry! – She seemed to be more embarrassed than it would have been appropriate.

"You are Stefan!" – she raised her hands to her forehead – "you are the guy whose photo stands on El´s bedside table!"

"Uh, I do hope that it´s still me who is on her bedside table."

April couldn't notice that his statement wasn't the harmless joke it appeared to be but that it hid a truth. How had she? She hadn´t had seen Elena for nearly ten years and had been introduced to Stefan only seconds ago. Although she acted all clumsy, loud and to some people, annoying, she was someone who set her own heart on people she liked. She never has had a crush on someone before, so this was completely reserved for her friends.

Elena herself seemed to be discomforted – "Of course you are! Who else?"

He gave Elena the look. The look she had learned to know and interpret: "The you-know-what-I-mean-I-know-your-secret-we-have-a-problem-look" or like Caroline used to name it: his serious vampire-look.

As the school bell was ringing April started to freak out: "I am so excited!" – Fishing her bag off the floor let her fell almost if Elena hadn´t helped her. Easily of course. – "Wow…you don´t even seem to be that strong." – "Well yeah, I guess it´s the cheerleading" – Elena answered airily

Never do something that can disguise you.

"That must be it…by the way, our date´s still running tonight?"

Elena smiled widely: "Of course it is."

"Great" – She already had turned around and moved as she stopped abruptly, so that she crashed directly into her foreman. – "Keep your eyes open" – said boy yelled at her. – "Sorry" – April answered awkwardly. As soon as possible she tried to disappear in the crowd.

"April, hu?"

"Yes, April" – Elena answered her arms both tangled around his waist as they made their way to class.

"You never told me about her."

She lowered her head onto his shoulder. – "There was no need. She´s the same age as Jeremy but she used to hang out with us."

With her eyes being closed she hoped to cherish this moment with Stefan being so close to her without hardly any problems. At least nothing that was worth the mentioning.

"Oh and for your information: We´ll sleep at my house tonight" – A soft giggle escaped her lips as she felt Stefan´s hand brushing away a strain so that his smirking lips could collide with the shell of her ear: "I love your bed" – "I know you do, but duty first. Having Caroline and April on one table isn't fun, I can tell that."

"Ah, come on." – Stefan gave her a kiss on the cheek. – We´ve survived Caroline going on our nerves."

"Mmhm…if Caroline is a storm, April is a hurricane" – Elena said happily.

* * *

"Have you talked to Bonnie today?"

No." – Elena answered moodily. Dammit! Life could be so unfair: When your boyfriend turns out to be a magnificent cook while you yourself fail in every way possible.

"Come here…let me have a look on the pan. Otherwise you´d probably burn down the whole house."

Elena admitting defeat, saluted: "Aye, aye Sir!"

Stefan laughed. If you don´t know what they´ve been through, you´d just take them as the crazy in love-couple they are. – "You can lay the table if you dare, honey."

"That´s a piece of cake for me, Mr." – While arranging the dinnerware, Elena danced around the table. Less clumsiness turned out to be a gift: No need to worry about dropping or breaking something.

"No place setting for me."

Elena spun around to see Jeremy standing in the kitchen-door – without giving Stefan a glance. She let her shoulders drop. "We haven't seen April for almost a decade."

Jeremy was focused on his feet, his arms crossed. "Is he going to join, too?"

With HE Jeremy meant Stefan. If this god dammed vampire would join their supper, he was definitely about to leave. It had been hard enough to accept that his only sibling or ancestor at all had become a vampire. He loved Elena no matter what. As long as he shall be alive he wouldn't leave her just like she had promised to never leave his side. A Gilbert always keeps his promises. A Gilbert fights for his family. Stefan Salvatore wasn't a part of it, not anymore.

"Jeremy" – Stefan knew he had to be stepping gently and acting empathetic: "I can relate to how you feel…"

"Oh really? You can?" – Jeremy snapped aggressively. He had pushed himself up from the door´s frame. – "who do you think you are?"

"I…" –But he couldn't even try to formulate a statement. Jeremy, so fully pissed screamed: "Just shut up!"

Elena had rushed between them in vampire-speed holding her little brother an arm length away. "Do you think you have to defend him?"

Elena eyes widened in shock as she studied her brother´s face closely: Not only that he had become thinner, he also had aged. Since their parent´s death there had hardly been a time in which he had found his way back to being his former teen-self and this was more than evidently noticeable in his eyes: They had lost their shining. Along with his lips being pressed into a thin line he made an angry yet pathetic impression. "Aren´t you seeing what he has done?"

Turning her head she eyed Stefan only to look quizzically back to Jeremy who was rolling his eyes at his sister for being oh so annoyingly dimwitted. – "Why are you so blind Elena? Everything bad that has happened, happened although he was around or should I say because he was around."

"You are going to apologize Jer!" – Elena tried to bring him back to his senses – "you don't mean what you´re saying" – her voice getting more and more desperate. The two people she loved the most were like a red rag to a bull to each other.

"Don't Elena." – Stefan now standing right behind her knew how hard this conversation was for her. The time when Jeremy had actually liked him as a member of the family had been a bonus which had always reminded him of how much luck he had.

Two versus one. Was this what the future had in store? Elena breaking up with Stefan was no option. Jeremy knew that and nor wanted he her to do so. Yes, he could have blamed Matt who had driven the car but for what? For being the only human-friend he had left? As he had been informed that Stefan was on Wickery Bridge he had felt a ton of bricks falling from his heart. Not a single moment had he believed his sister could actually be dying. How could Stefan say he´d love Elena but letting her die at the same time? At least he´d got what he wanted: An eternity with her. This egoistic jackass.

"You have all the right in the world to hate me."

As Stefan intended to take a step forward Jeremy walked backwards instinctively, grabbing his jacket. – "Don't wait for me Elena."

"Jeremy wait!" – And although she had promised him to be more sister and less vampire she joined him in under a second. – "Please"

She tried to sooth him by caressing his cheek but he broke away from her touch, the doorknob already in his hands. – "I never thought I´d say that but…"- he paused, lucky that he had turned his back on them so that his voice didn't reflect the hurt expression that was written all over his face. – "maybe Damon would have made the better choice."

There was no sound except the dullness as the door slammed shut.

_Choices number thirteen._

* * *

As if nothing had happened Elena continued to end the last preparations while Stefan was still standing by her side. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted her to do the talking. But she didn't want to.

"Concerning one point you have to admit Jeremy´s right." – He knew that wasn't really a smart thing to say but nonetheless it was the truth. Never had and never would he believe his girlfriend hadn't had a time in which she felt like cursing him, in which she used to overthink her choice.

There hadn't been a single moment in which she´d regretted choosing Stefan. She cursed herself but for something else: For being so blind for such a long time, concerning Stefan as well as playing with his brother´s feelings. Even though she hadn't carried the love-triangle to extremes, in her opinion she wasn't better than Katherine.

Stefan´s words hit her like a stake. Being hyper-sensitive because of her argument with Jeremy, she reacted harsher than usual. "You cannot be serious!" – she had turned around with her hand clenched into fists.

Stefan had never seen her so angry. Unsure whether to count her obvious outrage positively or the complete opposite, he only sighed and scratched his neck like he used to when he was insecure or ashamed. "I only want to mention that Damon wouldn't have let you die."

His self-hatred hurt her more than her own pain did. Taking his face into her palms, forcing him to look into her eyes was all that she could do. The "I love you" was barely more than a hint.

What had happened between school morning with greasy kisses and now? "This is not about the accident, not mainly a least, is it?" A flash of hurt was rushing through his entire body, the trembling all too well noticeable as he detached her hands from his face.

Elena felt like being crashed. To many people this simple gesture would have been no big teaser but for her it was like a punch. The feel of loss crept over. – "Just tell me." Seeing Stefan avoiding any contact with her, even if it was only eye-contact, made her sick.

Stefan spun around so fast that Elena almost jumped out of her skin. "I promise you, I won´t blame you for anything, but…Jesus Christ…did you…fuck him?"

_Chances number four._

Bumm.

Stefan was quite good in hiding what he really felt like. But Elena knew him to well to let herself being irritated. The problem was that his eyes already held his disappointment as if he already knew and had prepared mentally

"No. No! I didn't sleep with Damon." Stefan relaxed immediately. It was a "pulling all your eggs in one basket"-thing – "But we almost did when we were in Den…"-

"Stop it!" – His voice was not more than a whisper as he talked with closed eyes. A habit that had survived since his childhood had ended: Whenever he had seen something horrible (for children´s eyes) he used to shut them. What you can´t see doesn't exist and what doesn't exist isn't something to be scared of.

Unlike the 1850´s when his fears were caused by fairytale monsters, he couldn't black out this fear. Closing his eyes only made his mind go wild by creating an image of simultaneously moaning Damon and Elena.

He only released his gritted teeth as he felt the familiar touch of Elena´s fingertips. Feeling played for a sucker by the woman he loved, he already had forgotten about his promise to stay calm and to not accuse her of the past and as his eyes snapped open they were filled with hurt and anger.

As much as Stefan had forgot to keep his promise in mind. Elena was deeply aware she was trying to avoid an argument that couldn't be avoided. They had been so ridiculously happy that it was simply too good to be true. At some point reality had to kick in.

How many nights had she been awake, scared by the idea of dreaming? Yes, he hadn´t made it a secret how he wanted to get the girls, how easily he succeed in getting in their pants – without compulsion. She never had told him but she knew he understood her soundlessly.

Elena Gilbert had never been arrogant but yet, you couldn't say her self-esteem was low. She never had been determined to wrap the boys around her little finger although she knew she could have done that easily. But that wasn't the kind of girl she was or wanted to be. She was pure and lovely. A very uncommon form of a head-cheerleader.

After Stefan and her had reunited she had been so overjoyed that she felt like nothing was impossible. Even reaching the stars and the moon seemed to be no challenge. But the more he told her about all the over lives he´s lived the more jealous she got by imagining him with other women. What have they been like?. But of course, she hadn't asked him once. And as he had become this ripper she couldn't stop wondering how many girls had already fallen for him. She hadn't had to ask him as he came back and she hadn't wanted to ask him as he neglected to feel again. She was sure he had completely forgotten about her, so it wasn't in fact making any difference if he had needed many other women or only a handful to do so. After her transition it still bugged her to no end.

"I said, I don't want to know." – His voice was far from being low now or wounded. It was strong, clear and so not Stefan as Elena tightened her grip around his arm.

"But I need to tell you."

"But I don't want to know any _details_ about the thing you and my brother used to have going on."

A thing? – A thing can be anything yet nothing. An affair yet a one night stand, a kiss yet a peck on the lips.

"What makes you think that?"

Stefan gave her a patronizing smile. Her playing the innocent one was more than inappropriate.

"Matt and I had a talk actually." – He was holding her stare like it was the easiest thing to do but he was in a quandary. She usually was quick to reply, but unlike former time one thing – the second thing that had been the essence of their relationship- was gone: They weren't able to share their secrets.

"What do you expect me to say, Stef?" – Her face showed how exhausted and helpless she was.

When have had they actually started to drift apart from one another? It´s hard to stand on one leg only, even when it comes to love.

"I don't know…the truth."

"Pardon me, if I didn't understand you correctly but didn't you just tell me you weren't interested in what I was about to say?"

_Or do you think I´ll tell you everything but the truth?_

"I never thought a simple "yes or no-answer" would discomfit you that much. So I guess, I can make my own answer."

His stare was icy and if she hadn't known better, she´d bet that Stefan wanted nothing more than shutting his emotions down. She couldn't let this happen. With tiny footsteps, barely noticeable and so not vampire-like, Elena cleaved to Stefan who stood completely still as he felt his body reacting to the tickles of hot breath Elena consigned on his chest, his eyes fixed on the opposite wall.

They knew their voices would be trembling by every word being spoken.

"Will you hear me out?"

Leading his face into his face direction, she saw him nodding.

"You know that I love you. You are the best thing ever happened to me. Even when Klaus appeared in our lives…if someone had asked me if I was unhappy, the answer would have been a strict "no!" because…"

Maybe it was wrong. His entire gesturing and body expression was to keep her at bay but the urge to touch him was bigger than her fear of being refused. He closed his eyes as he nestled his cheek into her palm.

"I never was unhappy, quite the contrary. I was scared and at some times desperate but never unhappy. As long as I´m with you, I´ll be happy."

A smile curved on her lips as Stefan took her hand into his own.

"The only time I was unhappy was when you left me." – The grip around her hand tightened.

"I never planned on leaving you." - Stefan whispered.

"And I knew that but I was so scared. At the beginning, I had so much trust in our love that I never doubted to get us back to where we belong…but you…"

"I bit you." – It became harder and harder for both of them not to cry.

"It wasn't the biting. It was the way you treated me like I was nothing to you and like this_ us, our love_ had never took place. I felt so weak and drifting without you. To see that you didn't intent to fight made me feel so pathetic – fighting for something that obviously hasn't got the same value as it has for me and Damon."

"Damon was there when I wasn't." – Stefan concluded

"I knew I had no right to blame you for this situation and Damon…he held me whenever I was crying at night, when I missed you so damn much…"

_They have slept in the same bed…"he held me…"_

"I never promised him anything and I know I was being selfish and I do feel awful as hell and dirty because of that."

She paused – looking into his memorable green eyes.

"I´m not going to lie. Damon and I made out in Denver."

Stefan grimaced with pain. – "But as soon as I opened my eyes, I wanted it to be you."

Damon´s kisses had felt nothing like Stefan´s. To her they were less sweet, less passionate, less with love…less Stefan.

"I believe you" – he answered weakly. – "but that doesn't make it any better."

"But we do love each other. In the end that´s all that matters, right?"

Like a fish caught on dry land, Stefan opened his mouth only to shut it immediately as he recognized Elena´s already wet cheeks.

To his luck the doorbell rang.

Let´s let the games commence- Elena thought sarcastically. She made her way to the door slower than usual only to be outpaced by Stefan. – "I´ll do it."

Just as he his hands touched the doorknob he turned his head around saying. "I´ll better be sleeping at my house tonight."

Before Elena could say something in protest, Stefan made his way through the waiting group, leaving her alone.

"Uh, what was that?" – Caroline asked more than slightly confused as she was pointing at the open door in her back, at the point there Stefan used to stay.

_Choices number fourteen._

* * *

No matter how hard Caroline had tried, she soon figured out that Elena wouldn't tell her what was going on. Not only was she curious above all, she was worried: Stefan had left the house as if he was being on a run. They had been fighting. And since Klaus was gone there existed one topic being huge and powerful enough to cause a fight: Damon. Hadn´t it been about him they wouldn't have thought, they would have had discussed. Dropping the salad bowl forcefully she tried awaking Elena´s attention.

"You don't have to tell me. I know it´s about Damon."

Elena frowned but only for a second until she said: "If you already know, I wonder why the hell you keep bugging me?"

"Why do you do that Eli?"

"What?"

"Avoiding me."

"I am not avoiding you. I´m just trying to focus on the potatoes as you might know they won´t be cooked by the holy ghost. This was planned to be Stefan´s part. Acting like Caroline wasn't there, Elena continued her work. Even her answer showed she didn't try to pretend what Caroline said had any value to her.

And all Caroline could do was to let a heavy sigh escaping her lips. _Oh, what a night._

The best surprises are those you´d never count in.

"Okay." – Elena smacked her hands while putting on her best fake-smile – "who wants a glass of wine?"

* * *

To say the mood was down would have been an understatement.

The atmosphere was icy which couldn't even be changed by clumsy April. "I must say, I am a little bit disappointed. Meeting your prince charming this morning made me eager for more."

"Like I said he didn't feel well" – Not even the tiniest intention to hide that her excuse was lame. But thinking of a suitable excuse wasn't what ruled her mind. _Where had Stefan go? What was he doing? Would he return later to hold her at night like he used to? _She wouldn't be able to sleep tonight without him by her side.

She had to stop that.

How egoistical of her. She wouldn't only lay awake because he wasn't there to cuddle but because she was worried about him. How pathetic to truly believe worrying-times were done. Tonight had just made clear how damn fragile their relationship had become and sadly, she had no-one else to blame but herself.

"Autsch…Caroline! Are you insane?"

Elena forced herself to pay attention: Tyler was rubbing his ankle. Caroline had hit him "hard" shutting him up. – "That's no topic for tonight and a thing that _only is about Stef and El."_

When would this evening finally be over?

"So April, what do you think of Tyler and Caroline as a couple?" – Bonnie asked hoping that gossip would help somehow.

"Well that…"- but April was being interrupted by the doorbell which caused Elena´s face to light up immediately:

Entirely sure that it was Stefan standing at her porch, she would be able to make an apology and…she froze as she recognized Sheriff Forbes and Damon…

* * *

_If she hadn't had let him go? Why had she let him go? Why had he done that? Why had he done that to her?_

The _where _and _what _were crystal clear as well as _who: _April´s father had cancelled the dinner, saying he was busy…_because he had Stefan and was torturing him in this very moment. Mystic Fall´s latest vampire hunter._

They were all on the way to rescue him. Even Matt and Caroline´s Mom had accompanied. She was trying to inform the group while Damon, unlike him, took a back seat.

"Jack phoned because he remembered Carol and me as parts of the council. We´ve agreed that it´ll be better if I talked to him. That´s when I ran into Damon."

Elena looked over her shoulder. It wasn't his fault but she half had a mind to punch him until he wouldn't make a move. – "And Damon told you Stefan had taken his place?"

"Yes, but I think Damon should better be telling you the rest."

Elena already felt Damon standing at her back. – "You know he´s weaker because of the

Animal -blood, how could you?" – Elena hissed.

"I didn't ask him to, I can promise you that" – Damon´s voice showed how angry he was. Being repeatedly saved by your baby-brother is not supposed to be a permanent condition.

"It´s my fault anyway." – Damon admitting, he´d done something wrong was the eighth wonder of the world.

"Oh really?"

"By the way, is everything going fine between you two?" – While Elena glared at him, Damon smiled, knowing he´d made a point. – "I´m only asking because being with the love of your life normally doesn't cause committing suicide, does it?!

The lump in her throat made answering impossible.

"He had me roped and knocked-out with vervain. Stefan appeared out of nowhere they fought and Young told him he´d kill me." – Damon´s voice broke but he continued: "Stefan offered him to switch place with me."

_Choices number fifteen._

"It isn't your fault Damon." – _Why had he done that? _– "thanks for taking April under compulsion. I´m not really confident with that."

It was awful and bad but necessary. Telling her the truth was no option let alone the danger she´d put into.

_Never thought of what a father does to protect his daughter?_

"It´s okay, it´s okay. But it still is my fault." – The smile he tried to form was nothing more than a pathetic try to copy the past. – "I told him he couldn't do it, he had friends and love…that he wasn't allowed to throw it all away."

"And?" – Elena was afraid to ask, afraid of the upcoming answer.

"He said: Don't worry."

* * *

The bungalow lay there in complete quietness. The horrific torture and pain hidden behind these walls were unimaginable.

"Alright" – Bonnie said – "I´ll be able to put him out of action but you have to be fast. Matt: You are going to distract April´s father from Stefan, I´ll knock him out while Damon, Caroline and Tyler free Stefan."

Everyone nodded intending to take their positions, all except Elena who was tapping with her feet, impatiently. "And what exactly is my duty?"

"Ah, Elena. Don't you think it´d be better if you stay here?" – Liz suggested.

"Excuse me? And why should I accept that? He is _my _boyfriend!" – Elena knew she sounded like a spoiled little child she didn't care. This was about Stefan. _The more time ran by…_

"We don't know how many are in there." – Damon tried weakly to assure here she wasn't needed.

"Nice try Damon." – She said wearing her murkiest smile. – "I´m not weak anymore. I don't need to be protected. I take care of myself."

"She´s right" – Liz nodded.

"But you won´t fight" – Tyler said – "you are a young vampire and it´ll be better for you to hold back as long as you don't do better in controlling your temper."

Giving him a thankful smile Elena replied: "Don't worry. All I wanna do is taking care of Stefan."

* * *

"I don't think I made a good deal, do you?"

For being a reverent he was pretty cruel: The Ten Commandments – "Thou shalt not kill" freely interpreted – The vampire was clearly in pain but the moment of release wasn't about to come soon.

He was waiting for his friends to rush to his aid. If there are two vampire´s there had to be more. He was aware it would be dangerous but he was well prepared: Stakes and vervain.

While Stefan was doubling over, Jack heard the door being opened and was positioned h in no time with the crossbows crocked.

"Matt." Taking the crossbow down Jack eyed him in alarm. – "What are you doing here?"

Matt eyed Stefan roped, in blood, grimacing in pain. – "I´m looking for my friend. What are you doing?"

"That's none of your business."

"I believe it is!" – How should he wrap him up in a talk?"

"Just go Matt…"

Matt felt his heart breaking. Not long ago and he´d been more than happy to Stefan in pain but now?

Just as Jack was about to drag Matt outside he felt an eruption going through the earth so that Matt and he fell to the ground.

"What is going on here? – He yelled but all he could see was Liz who was trying not to stumble as she moved over to the vampire.

As he tried to roll over so he could possibly stand up he was thrown up against a stoned wall. His hand hurt like hell but he was able to pull himself up. God seemed to be on his side because from this position he would be able to take his trap in progress. He saw Tyler, Caroline and Bonnie running towards him as he tugged on the string.

A second explosion erupted. Jack´s trap was more powerful than imaginable: Little doses of vervain were falling down making the entire bungalow being filled with several noses of pain: Caroline was tossing and turning onto the floor while Tyler growled painfully and Bonnie had been knocked out.

Jack felt his head spinning and for a short moment his visual field was limited.

"Elena! Keep away from him!" – What was she doing? Yes, sure she wanted to save her boyfriend but if she knew…

"I said get away!" - He was grasping her arm only to be shaken of by her like an annoying fly. His shoulder hurt. – "don't cut the knot!"

He stumbled over to her tossing her around. What he saw made his heart stop beating. Her face was covered with scars and veins. Her teeth stuck out.

_Grayson Gilbert´s daughter was a vampire…_

A sharp pain comparable to ten thousand knifes ripped through his body as he more felt than he saw it that his race was run….ended by Elena Gilbert. And the last words he heard were: "I love you Stefan."

_Choices number sixteen: The turning point._

* * *

**Cut! **


	7. Chapter 7

Choices to be made_  
_

* * *

Chapter 7

Double minded about what to do next, April was sitting on the couch. Alone. Her friends had disappeared in a hurry she only once saw in this movies

called "Independence Day" or "The Day after Tomorrow". They had been acting strange the entire time but as the doorbell had ringed they totally bugged out. Especially Elena looked like dead itself. Who is that man she was talking to? Recognizing Caroline´s mother was no big deal so far but his guy?

He was handsome. At least that's what April had in mind by only hearing his voice and only that made her eager to actually see him. It literally hit her like electricity: Before she was able to say knife he looked into her eyes deeply. And man…does he have blue eyes. At least he could have introduced himself instead of immediately talking to her in this urgent tone comparable to a waterfall.

April laughed slightly. Jesus, she didn't even know what he´d talked about. You know being distracted by his eyes and lips and all. Only pieces made it into her memory, something like: "Stay here…don't follow." She only nodded being remotely controlled as he told her to forget that he´d been here. Wait told? No, he hadn´t told he commanded. How stupid was this guy?

Just as she made the decision sneaking after her friends wasn't as bad as it seemed to, icy wind blew harshly through the living-room making the shutters clatter. "Au." – Her back had been hit by a book. "Tyler, if that's you…it´s hardly funny" – while talking she turned around: A snap. And all she saw were a dozen of books flying around with the speed of a cannon ball. With great presence of mind, she jumped aside as the cannon balls battered in the couches backside. Ducked down, April tried to make it to the front door.

"You are a different task." - April froze in her movements crawling on all fours.

A man was standing behind her. How had he come in? Or had he been here all the time waiting for an opportune moment?

"There is no need to be scared." – She looked at him. – "Is that so?"- "Well, for me it is. Trespassing is a crime."

April´s bravery grew. Who was this man thinking he´d take a seat and put his feet up and relax like this was his home? Her legs were going numb.

"Let me help you:"- The man stood up but suddenly froze in his very movement. –"I still haven't got used to this" – he muttered and smiled shyly. With another snap the armchair flew instantly at her side and was useable as leverage.

"I´m sorry, if I scared you but…" – he obviously was looking for words. A thief who wanted to sit down and have a talk…but then he said something that caught April´s undivided attention. "I don't think it´s a good idea to follow your friends." But she wanted to, needed to and by putting every piece together she came to the conviction that something important was being concealed from her. – "And I don't know why I should listen to you." – The smirk he was wearing made him appear friendly almost trustful. – "You are a smart girl." – "Catwalk…aren't you scared of someone coming back home?" The answer was laughing_. Impertinent fool._

"Do you have any idea what I´d do to have good old bourbon? My friend Damon has a great taste in alcohol. Good old times. Would you be so kind to greet him at your next meeting?"

An outlaw asking for help?

April tried her best to act as unknowingly as possible. Maybe this strange person knew something about her friend´s weird behavior keeping this card close to her chest sounded like a plan. Who knew what he had in mind and obviously he wasn't here to harm her that she could tell but what she couldn't tell was he wouldn´t harm her friends as well as soon as he had found them. If she acted subtle enough she could get some answers but as almost usually: A good thought is badly done.

He had disappeared and April could see Jeremy standing right in front of her saying nonchalantly: "Are you nuts?" The way she stood there with her arms folded tapping repeatedly on one foot and the glare she shoot at the sofa cushion…

"Jeremy…hey"- Damn it. Where was he? Gone with the wind?

"Where is everyone?" – "Gone". April answered totally puzzled. The stranger had said she wasn't allowed to follow the others. Just like this unbelievable handsome man. But why? And how on earth should he supervise? He was gone. To hell with him.

She literally jumped out of her skin as an unexpected touch set her on alarm: "What´s going on here?" – Just Jeremy. – "I have no clue…do you know a man called Damon?"

He had been right to stay away. Whatever game was going on here it wouldn't end well with vampire´s being involved- "That's a really long story." – but he should have known better: Girls, especially girls like April loved gossip or stories at all and it was no secret they´d give a lot to assuage their desires. "Maybe I should get us something to drink first." He needed time. Time to figure out how much she knew or if she knew anything at all.

The girl only shrugged her shoulders in casualness.

If only he hadn't turned his back on her. Icy breath was tickling him as he spun around: "Rick?"

"No time for explanations…you have to bar her from finding out what has happened."

Jeremy felt this existential angst he had shut down and locked up two months ago, taking possession of him again. It was making him sick. "What are you doing here?"

Rick sighed heavily. "I´m trying to protect you all"

* * *

"I am sorry…I´m s….so…sorry…I never wanted that to happen…Stefan…any of it…I…"

"Ssssshhh…I know honey, I know…"

Just after she had killed Jack guilt had taken control of her entire body, mind and soul and although it was doubtless how weak Stefan was he hadn't said anything as she ran into his arms, clinging to her saving anchor. "Thank you." – he whispered into her ear stopping her sobs for a second. "How could you do that to me?" – She whispered in return as quietly as possible still clinging to him for good measure. God, she hated herself and she hated Stefan though she couldn't let him go. She wanted to scream and laugh all the same to cry and to dance.

While Elena hid her face in Stefan´s neck, avoiding her deed, Stefan let his view sweep from Jack´s lifeless body to his brother who did everything in his power to avert the scene in front of him. For that he cleared his throat soundly. "You can throw your dirt at me all you want but we´ve got to get rid of the proof."

One loud cry was being echoed from the walls as Elena´s body started shaking again. "He´s right `Lena". As much as Stefan wanted to take away the pain he knew he couldn't though nothing he would say would change the fact that she made her first killing. "I´ll bring her home before I´ll come back to help you."

* * *

She already was on her way back to Elena´s with pictures being burned into her inner eyes. This strange man had been right. She hadn't wanted to know what was going on. She changed her route. Elena couldn't help her at least not now. Later, when she needed a shoulder to cry on… For now she acted cold and soulless like a stone, completely mechanically. Her goal was the Sheriff´s department.

* * *

"Thank you Liz…Yes…we have already taken care of it." Damon couldn't name a single moment during his existence that made him feel more helpless. Not weak in general. He wasn't Stefan the animal-blood-drinking-identity-denying-fool but he had to admit that it gave him an uncomfortable feeling to inform Liz although he wasn't the murderer which was a surprise itself. He wouldn't stop drinking human blood. He gladly left this department to Stefan.

"Damon, are you still on?" Being lost in his thoughts had made him loosing tracks. "Yeah, sure…I´m sorry what were you saying?"

As a sheriff Liz failed completely in hiding her fear. The mask of predominance she used to wear had burst into pieces. "I asked, are you sure no-one has an idea?" Blacklisting someone is easier as creating a tissue of lies.

"And who has killed him Damon?" Looking to the stars he heard Elena in her room screaming, crying, cursing. "Me." Damon said unaffectedly.

* * *

"I´m going to visit Elena, want to join me?"

Klaus mumbled something as Caroline pulled away her auspicious lips. "Yes sure, if you want me to. – "I want you to."

Caroline loved that lying here with Tyler across her bed, her head settled into his lap and him playing with the strains of her hair. Complete freedom and love. "I only hope Elena can deal with the guilt and the cravings."

"She is so strong, of course she will. And she has Stefan. If there is someone who knows how to overcome it, it´s him." Klaus was trying to cool her down but he admired her empathy.

"She´s always been the best of us you know." Caroline was examining his features. "Not just concerning the supernatural aspects…back when we were kids, remember?" – He nodded slowly but let her talk – "I barely remember what it felt like to not know everything that we know now and feel now."

The light laugh escaping her lips were like sunshine after a long cold dark winter: Refreshing and needed. "I mean have you ever seen us ending up together? I can say – without any intention to hurt your feelings – I´d rather would have jumped off a cliff." She kissed him sweetly feeling the urge to apologize as she felt him shifting his position. "No darling, I never did."

* * *

"You should go up baby and eat something." Stefan had his arms wounded around her and his head resting on hers. He had never been good at seeing her cry. She had had already so many reasons to but with him, loving and comforting her, it had always become less painful. But this pain he couldn't take away no matter how much he wanted to.

"I´m not hungry, Stef."

_Choice of words: Blood as the equivalent to food._

"I just thought I could cook and…" – in the blink of an eye Elena had freed herself out of his arms, finding shelter away from him at her open window. Ready for the run. "Stop doing that Stefan." – she whispered like a little child too embarrassed to tell its parents who had broken the neighbor's window. "Stopping what?" Elena shivered at the loss of warmth spreading from Stefan´s body. The warmth she loved to curl up into or get lost in. "To treat me all normal."

What had she done? Her heart broke a little bit more as she waited for the bed to crack, for her boyfriend´s footsteps to appear behind her, for his hands to wrap around her shoulders. She had tossed him aside but why was he lying on her bed instead of coming to her?Elena was getting paranoid. He always knew what she needed but why did he refuse to touch her?

_A single moment can change everything. White doesn't exist anymore only black and its shade: grey._

All Elena could hope for was Stefan´s love. That he would have trust in her like she had in him.

Was it because of embarrassment, fear or simply doubts that made her talking to him as if he himself was the pain for her?

What she hadn't had wanted to happen have taken place: She had killed someone, someone human with a past – but thanks to her- no future.

"Tell me how to treat you" – The desperation was evident in his voice, reading her like an open book he knew what she was going through. He settled himself behind her, with her back being pressed into his chest they avoided to look at each other. She didn't want him to read all the guilt _and_ the pleasure. Inured to be his rock whenever he had been close to giving in, he struggled with being in this position. "Just speak your mind."

With low confidence of self-esteem, Elena knew she wasn't in the mood for an argument…She could see Stefan´s reflection in the window, his knitted eyebrows. "How am I supposed to know what I shall or shall not say if you act all cryptically, my love?" – his lips pressed upon the shell of her ear.

"Why do you want to leave me?" – she asked with a voice completely unlike her, unlike her personality, her age but more like a little child at its first day of kindergarten. "I never once wanted to leave you." A kiss on the cheek, tender and sweet let her relax but as Stefan loosened his grip around her tiny waist, she grasped for him as if her life depended on his presence.

"Thank you for saving my life, honey." A loud sob escaped her lips as she tried to clean her face with the sleeve of her sweater. _Stefan´s sweater._ "Isn't that mine, baby?" Elena turned around, her eyes were red and puffy just like her nose but her lovely smile that made her the person she was had come back. "Possibly." – She teased- "I like how it smells like you." – "And I like the way it suits you even better than me." He smirked his expression getting hard again making Elena eyeing him in fear.

"I am sorry for the hurt." His voice was about to crumble down nonetheless he managed to speak. "I am sorry for thinking of leaving you."

"Don't be." – Elena said softly – "let´s say we´re even with each other now. Let´s make a new start." She looked at him with her big brown eyes as deep as the ocean. If he had to drown in them, he´d die happily. Setting the seal on it with a kiss, Elena and Stefan had created their privacy.

As their lips collided the sparks were flying instantly.

* * *

Closing the door silently Stefan walked down the stairs, glad Elena had finally fallen asleep.

"How's Elena?" – Stefan stood there frozen in his movements. His brother was standing there with the cell phone pressed onto his ear. He surely needed to clear things with Sheriff Forbes. _No-one to throw any more obstacles in their way._

Stefan still eyed him in anticipation, waiting while the older Salvatore-brother commented something Liz was saying: "We do it as agreed, Liz…Yes, I am absolutely sure…Thanks to you…See you at the council."

"Are you planning to stay?" – Stefan asked half surprised, half worried. It was no secret that – despite all odds- The two Salvatore´s loved each other. Neither Damon nor Stefan would ever admit that but nonetheless:

_Loving your brother is one thing, discrepancies are another: Rivalry isn't new nor does it run the risk of becoming obsolete._

Stefan and Damon had mastered in the section "How to deal with brotherly love." As intended as this is – thanks to the inventor – as much are the hate, the feeling of competition an axiomatic law of nature.

"Yes brother. I'm going to come back, stay here, and settle down in our _hometown._ " The growl wanting to escape Stefan's lips was hard to be choked down and Damon giving him his usual sated grin only added fuel to the fire. 160 years and Stefan couldn't avoid the feeling of giving Damon the upper hand, without a chance to defeat what was his and yet, his brother hadn't even moved a muscle.

While Stefan felt lightly humiliated, Damon was just as uncertain: Regarding their situation with favor, they weren't more than a partnership of convenience.

_Never let your brother know how you really feel about him._

"No need to act all sarcastically."

Damon smirked. This was going to be after his fancy. With a fending movement of his hands, he answered: "It just seemed you are not too amused about me returning." Damon's voice had become provocative but Stefan, who was used to his brother´s tricks, was unhurried. "Why shouldn't I? I mean besides the fact that you walked away without saying goodbye."

That was true. Damon hadn't said goodbye. It would have been too hard. What at call could he have said? _"I love you; hope you'll enjoy your life with Elena?" _His brother´s love had been the only one he said goodbye to.

He was leaning casually against the countertop, legs and arms crossed. _A protective mechanism. _"I´m not the guy for those great goodbye-scenario's, you know me."

"Oh, yeah. I do." – Stefan answered, copying Damon's gesture and tone. Leaning against the counter, there was no way to disguise they were related. And maybe, just maybe they have more in common than DNA or their hearts beating for the same girl.

"Do you mind, giving me something to drink?" –"Sure. I can offer you a Pepsi." – "Really Stef, Pepsi?" He would never understand why today, having alcohol at home was almost a crime. "Whatever."

With that the conversation had fallen silent. Sitting in the living-room turned out to be an awkward issue: Like invading Stefan's and Elena's privacy. He couldn't help but recognize how exhausted his baby-brother looked like. No wonder, given that he had been close to death. What intentions could bring his brother to commit suicide? He's got everything. What if Elena had told him about…about what? You couldn't even call it an affair; it had been a breath of air not more. Damon smiled slightly. _Stefan, Stefan. Every other would have taken the opportunity to…_

"Why are you here Damon?" – said raised his head, blinking a few times as if he had to remember where he was. "Do I need permission for visiting my family?"

"Of course not." – Stefan answered ironically, always on alarm he scanned every of Damon's movements, the way he gritted his teeth together. His eyes weren't icy but focused. _He has a goal – but what do you have in mind? _ It isn't hard to find out he has something in mind but it´s hard to tell _what _and mainly _why._

You can speculate about the future: Choices influence decisions. Right, left, moving ahead? So many opportunities not only _backwards can be made. _When a choice is made you'll simply get other opportunities. _Left again, or however another direction. _Not only brotherly laws of nature are set in stone, so are the laws of choice making: It doesn't mean anything how many choices you are able to tread if you tread the wrong one. It´s hardly possible to recoup what you did wrong.

Who knows? Maybe, if Damon would have chosen differently: How would that have affected the upcoming actions, for the better, for the worse?

_The whole life is mostly consisted on choices: Just a blink of an eye for every single one to be made. The outcome is unknown._

Clear is, Damon didn't spent a single thought on telling Stefan about Klaus. Elena was more important at this very moment.

"What are you doing?" – Damon turned his head, seeing his brother holding a blood-bag in his hands, the refrigerator opened widely. "Elena needs to feed." – "Bambi?" Stefan's angry glare amused Damon. Mr. Perfect stumbles over his own mistakes over and over again.

Exhaling a deep breath, Stefan felt disarmed: "Maybe you should take a sip before you judge." – Waving the bag in his hands – "what do you say?" Patronizing as it was his nature, Damon took the bag, swirling it. "You won´t make any differences by looking at it." Stefan waited with his hands crossed over his chest, preparing for what was to come. "No, but it doesn't keep our cravings at bay." _An incontrovertible statement._

But Stefan didn't want to face it. Not after two months of happiness, when everything was fine and bloodlust was practically nonexistent. Damon's voice hardly broke through to him: "Isn´t that so, Stef?" His chest got heavy and although he didn't need oxygen, the fact he wasn't able to reply something made him weak.

Becoming a vampire is no bed of roses. All the temporary novels are hilarious. If being on animal-blood was that easy, Jesus, that would be paradise. But what the novels don't talk about is the _fun to kill._ _The thrill: to see the angst in your victim's eyes and the understanding they´re about to die._

That's what he wanted to spare Elena from. Not drinking blood is what makes the monster a monster: The killing makes all the difference, makes the holiest soul a doomed one.

"_I have to drink human blood, don't I?" _

_The sadness in her eyes nearly killed him. She was wrapped up in his arms. They had talked about the future. Aware it wouldn't be any less than challenging; Elena was determined to take the risk. "I can't leave Jeremy and I'd never leave you."_

This is what true love is famous for: Taking the greatest risk, facing your greatest fear because in the end nothing is as bad as it seems as long as you are capable of love and being loved in return.

It had been quite astonishing how easy Elena handled becoming a vampire. For what Stefan had needed decades of self-discipline, Elena exercised in a heartbeat. He had known, she's strong but that? That was extraordinary. "I only want to protect her Damon."

He played with the blood-bag trying to be appreciative of Stefan's motives but reality painted a different picture. "I'm not saying she has to kill. Just think of Lexi: Wasn't she on human blood-bags as well? If I remember correctly you didn't judge her either for that." Damon was right, of course he was.

There was no reason to question Stefan and Elena as soul mates: meant to be together. So many different similarities: Love for old books, music, traveling to the same places…But what if Elena wasn't only his counterpart of good but of bad as well?

"I know you're scared. Me, too." Damon admitted letting his eyes roll in faked sarcasm as he grabbed Stefan's shoulders, looking him in the eyes: "As we both know, I'm not good when it comes to brotherhoods, so I'm saying this once and once only: After our recent past, I should be hurt, angry but…I'm not." Stefan glanced at him in complete surprise. He hadn't expected anything like this. Where was his spiteful brother? – "I saw how damaged she was as the made our way to your rescue, I got it. I finally, finally got it: You are the she had fought for. You are the reason she had gone through several hells and back." Damon wasn't the crying type of a guy not with another person paying attention but Stefan made out a single tear hidden in the corner of his eye. "And never doubt her love or her personality."

"But I feel guilty Damon."

_Choices number seventeen: You have to overcome your own fear. But are you strong enough and what will be the consequences if you fail?_

"What happened is no-one's fault. I never have been let down more kindly than by Elena." Deep down in his heart he had known that Elena saying, everything could be the other way around if they had met first was only meant for comfort. And even with her realizing they actually did met first he hadn't bet of a change in her mind. "I just want to see the two people I love most getting their happily ever after."

A more or less funny statement followed by a smirk only Damon was able to come up with during such an emotional moment. He wasn't the emotional one of the brothers. This rare moment of brotherly love had flown away and if any of them was asked, none would admit it had ever taken place.

"You know what is right, Stefan. You know it´s for the better."

Damon's words were heavy on his chest, his mind was a roller coaster so the words were out without a second thought as he saw his brother stepping away from him. "I know, I'm probably going to sound selfish…" – "There is no need brother. You are selfish." Stefan was shocked. "I do wish I could grant you Elena…I just…I can't let her go."

Damon´s face softened immediately. "Isn't that what the one true love is all about? Holding on?"

* * *

**Cut!**


	8. Chapter 8

Choices to be made

Chapter 8

As it´s being told, the eyes are the windows to our soul. Generations over generations of psychologists, philosophers and sociologists have tried to find an answer: Does a soul exist at all? If it does, when what is it? Is it an organ? Or something we aren't able to see not to mention touch? Trusting Aristoteles, the soul is a combination of three parts. What part is responsible for our human nature, for making us good or not so good? A question, scientists all over the globe are eager to answer but they have failed until this very day.

If we assume that a soul does exist, what happens after death? To believe an afterlife is possible gives us hope in the contemplation of death.

The body might be dead but the soul survives: Taken to the skies, waiting for a new life and new chances.

And vampires? Are vampires souls are taken to the skies? The body's still there, so is the soul? Or is a main point of being a vampire to live a soulless existence? Perhaps a vampire's soul as well waits for a new chance.

It's the last hope to think of the soul as an unbanned material which is ready to go on while its former owner is stuck in darkness.

_Choices number eighteen: The question is, how much is truth and how much is a lie with vampires acting all innocent?_

One week. She hadn't left her room for one entire week. No matter who knocked on her door was sent away rudely.

All but Stefan. He was the only one´s closeness she was able to endure. She needed it.

The unfamiliar cravings were over casting her like a landslide. Most of her days were pitch-black and pigmented by blood-red memories of April's father and the joy was spreading through her body like fireworks on New Year's Eve when she pictured his ripped throat, with the blood sputtering so freely that it was at first hard to notice, her victim was about to lose his head, if it hadn't been dangling on a last string of muscles.

The other half of the time, Elena hated herself for what she had done and even Stefan. She hated him for putting himself in danger, literally forcing her show this reaction in order to save his life and for making her loving him so madly. On the first day, he had dried her tears, the second day she didn't let him in, very well knowing that he would spent the entire night there waiting.

On the third day, Jeremy came up but she wasn't able to face him. She had heard a conversation in which Stefan told him what a monster she had become. (He told him what had happened which was making no difference if one is able to read in between the lines.). She how Jeremy cursed Stefan, telling him his love was the worst thing ever happened to her.

On day four she let Stefan in, sobbing at his shoulder as they were lying on her bed, hidden under the blankets. Isolated they began to make plans: Prom was about to come, causing them to plan differently. Though Elena hadn't got tired to tell him she wanted to be with him forever and he knew she meant it, he knew becoming a vampire was nothing she ever had truly considered. Nor did he ever want her to suffer just because of his egoism. He had never told her but he had taken advantage of several preparations when the goodbye wouldn't be inevitable anymore. But now?

Now everything was different. His fears had turned out to be unreasonable: Elena wasn't as weak as him. Reverent Young, well…to say his death was a collateral-damage was as rude as it was true. Trying to relax, Stefan told himself this wouldn't happen again.

_Especially he should have known better._

They did what they do best: Cuddling, making –out and not at least – making plans for their future. "Have you thought about what you want to study?" – Stefan asked sweetly playing with her hair as she rested on his shoulder. Only reluctantly she opened her eyes. Stefan's presence was way too comforting but only one look into his beautiful green eyes and she was appeased. _Oh, he must be laughing about something. How can a man be cute and sexy as hell at the same time? – Only speaking of his laugh?!- _ "I like it when you wear this adoring absentminded smile on your lips." – Her smile even grew as she felt her boyfriend's thumb brushing seductively over her bottom lip. _Would he mind if she would lick it? _ "So." He laughed again. "College?" _College? Oh yes, college! _ With him being around a meteor could come crashing down to destroy everything and she absolutely wouldn't pay attention to anything else but her "sexy-as-hell-boyfriend" to make sure he will never leave her or this bed _or better: Both. _

She looked at him sleepily with her chin rested on his chest so her strains were tickling him. "I don't want to leave Mystic Falls." Stefan nodded in agreement. They had had this conversation earlier, a few months ago. Elena didn't want to leave Jeremy being responsible all on his own, not when it was his graduation year. Stefan had agreed happily, so Elena had thought. What she didn't know was that he had calmed down knowing – hoping – the upcoming goodbye wouldn't turn out to be as hard as he feared it to be, with her average environment and her brother who would be there to keep her from falling. It hadn't been that he wanted to leave her but with Elena being unsure about her feelings, about becoming a vampire at all, leaving her – rather later than sooner but still – was the only logical consequence he could conclude.

But since love is anything but certainly not logical, Stefan had gotten convinced that Elena was bound to him and vice versa.

_Sometimes to fight is less difficult than to accept you do deserve the price._

"I guess I want to be a writer." No need to laugh, Stef…what has happened to us would make a great novel, don't you think?"

"Yeah sure." – He laughed.

"Trust me." – Elena freed herself of Stefan's embrace to rise up excitedly. "Everybody loves stories which include a happily ever after."

"We do have our happily ever after, don't we?" Stefan asked slowly

"Ultimately." Bending down over to him she kissed him softly while he caressed her arm. "Yummy." – Elena licked her lips, savoring the taste that was uniquely her Stefan – "I assume you also do have an idea what you want to study, mh?" – "Well." Stefan shrugged his shoulders after leaning on the headboard. "Honestly: No." His dream to become a doctor was simply unrealizable and to stick to the truth, the last year has kept his mind busy without any room for something as profane as college. "I can imagine picking history, you know…wouldn't be too much of a torture and it surely leaves more room for partying." Feeling her lips forming an _oh_ of surprise he gave her his most challenging grin. "What?" "Nothing. I just thought you hated parties." "That's only half of the truth." With a fake hurt voice, he drew Elena onto his lap, her lips brushing over his neck. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings." she whispered , feeling how he stiffed for less than second.

She was sure he caught her double-meaning. Just like he always did.

"Forgiven and forgotten" – he said warmly.

* * *

"What's gotten into you Tyler?" She didn't know what the world was coming to. There was a lot that needed to be learned about vampires, werewolves, occultism but why the hell hadn't had someone come up with a guide like _How to muster a supernatural relationship: Tips and Tricks._ Maybe that would give her a clue what had gotten into him. It wasn't the normal "do the dishes type of an argument." Supernatural relationship means supernatural differences.

They hadn't talked on their way to school and now, walking down the hall Caroline was fed up with the silence. "Are you thrown for a loop?" Tyler was walking besides her making no intention to react or to take her hand like usually did. "I just don't see the point in continuing this talk."

_Uh, someone's angry. _Caroline's barrier broke down; she linked arms with him leaning her head onto his shoulder. But walking together doesn't necessarily lead to speaking as well.

"I'm sorry Ty". – All he gave her was an angry sounding "Mmh." – "You got it wrong. You know me and how often I do or say things I want to take back! When I said Klaus was a _hybrid-_jackass I didn't mean you!" The glare was freezing; his eyes were darker than she remembered. She had hurt him without any indication. Never would she dare to compare Tyler to Klaus.

Possibly Klaus had been lonesome, why else should he have tried to create friends at any price? No, she was too happy to think about Klaus.

Tyler completed her and though he had changed she wouldn't want it any other way. To say he acted possessive would be too harsh but he had a way of claiming her, his own she hadn't even thought he was capable of. Whenever she wanted to meet Bonnie alone, Tyler lost his senses. Retrospectively Caroline was sure their make out sessions and his puppy eyes were leading to one girl only: To keep her away from Bonnie. She had arranged with that. Why , she had no clue but now things were different: Elena needed her friends, all of them.

Addressing this problem this very morning was like kick in the ass. Tyler newly being a man of few words had given her a lecture about being a good friend, being a good vampire. To him killing wasn't honorable but nothing to be ashamed of either. _"It's nothing you have any control over."_

However, they had gotten into a fight about animal blood. "Where does that come from? – she asked suddenly – "a relic from Klaus?" She saw his jaw clenching in a scary manner. "No, I'm just saying love…" – he turned around looking her deadly in the eye. "I don't want you to compare me to Klaus…he is…_he was….an asshole…" _with closed eyes he inhaled deeply. "Remember Stefan? Being on animal blood drives you crazy sooner or later." – "Mmhm…" Caroline bit her bottom lip ready to give him a contrary answer, so far he knew her. "Stefan taught me to be a good vampire and I _adore_ him for this and for giving me the honor of his friendship. I don't – can't – find any excuses for a lot of his actions but what I know for sure is: What he did, he did for Elena and because of Klaus."

Klaus looked at her almost adoringly. The fascinating aspect of Caroline was her wisdom: Her ability to focus on the main issue. And without her being aware, she had shown him his breaches quite plainly. Not that he hadn't known about them before, he only had been ignorant.

_Quite humanly: Although we know the answer by ourself, we almost every time need someone to assure you._

* * *

It's said, as a vampire your senses were heightened just like your emotions. Especially your inner character-treats are that evident that at some point, they can be able to superimpose the blood-lust. Keeping together your emotions is all a curse and a gift.

"Don't you have to go to school?" Elena asked, preferring his answer to be a _"no"_ but she also didn't want him to forget about his social life by taking care of her.

His warm breath tickled her neck, a comfy feeling she never got tired of. He was still sleeping and hadn't heard her question. A rush of sadness flooded over her: He was exhausted and tired and she obviously hadn't recognized it, being too much concerned about herself and what killing someone did to her, not thinking about what seeing her killing someone had done to him. He had always been there for her.

Now was the time to do what was best for him. Starting at his cheek, she drew a line of sloppy kisses up to his ear. As she nibbled at his earlobe, he let out a muffled tone which flush of hot breath caused her to close her eyes. In a flash he was right in front of her, encircling her waist to pull her closer. His lips on her ear and his deep, sleep-filled voice made her eyelids flutter. "Good morning."

She had thought she would be tougher as a vampire. If possible, she loved Stefan even more than she had done as a human. As a human she had felt being near a heart-attack because fragile human hearts weren't capable of handling what she felt. Now as a vampire, she still was butter in his hands, it hadn't changed. In fact, it had become more intense: Their love, their band, their everything. She hadn't to be scared to be a bloody temptation, neither had he to be scared to hurt her. When her human heart hadn't known how to catalyze all this love, her unbeaten on was being revived every time he was close to her.

"Good morning to you, too." Out of nowhere she felt the urgent need to wrap her arms around him, making she can touch him. Even Stefan was caught off guard but didn't comply as Elena drew him with her. As usual his first instinct told him to shift his weight onto his elbows to not crush her with his weight. As usual, she drew him closer. "Much better. I didn't care about your weight on me before and I most certainly won't do that now" – wrapping her arms around his neck to underline her statement, she giggled as he kissed her nose. "I want to go to school today."

Stefan raised his head, his wonderful green eyes had come from sleepy to playful to surprise to concerned to happy. He felt her body trembling under his, shaken by tremors of laughter. "I don't know anyone else but you who can come up with so many different expressions in such a short amount of time." He grinned playing with one of her longer hair strains. "Are you sure about going to school today?" Stefan: Always the careful one, strong but kind.

One week wasn't much to recover but Elena felt good and she wanted to go back into life. Isolated from her friends and family, especially the human parts, was making it more and more difficult: Prom was about to come, the future was within reach. It was about time. "Yes, I am." – she said firmly but her enthusiasm was kept within a limit as soon as Stefan had stood up, putting his jeans on. "No-one does push you. Especially not me." -She smiled hesitantly. He would never push her or go against her will, she was the pushing one.

As she was a fragile human she had delivered enormous powers when it came to loss and death. She felt oddly weak although she contained powers not from this world. She knew she would make it, she was just afraid to try! "I have to go. I can't lock myself up in here forever. I'm not saying this is going to be easy but I owe it Jeremy and the fact April has moved in…I want to be there for her and I need to face it." Stefan only watched her. Her serious expression was remarkable. He walked over to her, still only half dressed, leaning his forehead to hers. "I'll be by your side. I promise."

* * *

The darkness was gone and Elena felt like she always had felt since transitioning. Was one victim really making any difference? She simply had lost her awareness. Taking all the millions of people into an account she wouldn't do any harm, was one mistake really that bad?

Laughing, happy and obviously in love, Stefan and her were coming down the stairs, arm in arm.

"I'm sorry; I didn't want to disturb you."

_April. _Elena's happy smile died, her grip around Stefan's waist tightened. With her red, puffy eyes April looked like the little lost girl that she was. _She is without a direction and without a father. _"You aren't disturbing us, Ap." – Elena answered as friendly as possible, looking at Stefan in a pleading manner. _"You're sure?" _his eyes said.

"I'm going to quit the first period."

"No, no, no!" – April said almost a little too loudly. "You just got well again and school…Don't worry, I'll get along." She had talked so fast it barely had been audible but for Stefan and Elena it was. "I'll see you at school, `Lena." A kiss on the cheek and Stefan was gone.

Elena played nervously with her fingers trying to look anywhere but at April. Was it her bad conscious or her vampire-self? April's breathing had sped up. The pounding was as loud as a rock-concert keeping her in its fangs. She knew what it was: warm, wet and too loud to be ignored – Blood. Elena tried to focus on other sounds: The rustling leaves, teens on their way to school. They've already have missed the bus but they do not care. Her agitation only grew. Their pulses were pounding way too loud. _Don't lose focus. You did it before you can do it now._

Elena was afraid, April would recognize it was only a façade saying: _"How cruel to act all happy while I am on the verge of tears!" _Knowing how she was supposed to react, how she used to react, she couldn't. She grabbed the feeling but it slipped away.

Trying to resist the urge to reach out to get it she decided to act all automated, her look nervously hanging on the front door, ready to escape this situation.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" In her blanket April appeared so damn helpless. "I'll make us something." Elena said in a hurry. She didn't want to see how April wrapped more tightly into the blanket. Not at least because she remembered this action so damn well: Hoping it would prepare her for the world out there but it only let her appear weaker.

She hadn't touched her food one bit while Elena had been focused on eating. She had agreed as April had asked if she'd mind sitting on the couch together. She needed human warmth, didn't want to be alone. On the inside, Elena was the shaking, screaming vampire; on the outside she sustained the mask. Was that what it was all about? Acting like your former self, like someone you should be?

"Can I ask you a question?" Her heart pounded rapidly. She was nervous. If she would knew who (or what…) she was sitting next to she would have been frightened. And suddenly Elena found out that nervousness and angst smelled different: Nervousness was soft, sweet almost like roses. _Roses and sunshine. It was relaxing like a bubble-bath. _Angst was more evident: Thick and strong, salty and stormy_. Like a ship on a deadly route. It smelled like fun. _But which one did Elena prefer? Which one was sweeter to her?

"How did you make it to live on…I mean after your parent's death, how you survived?" One could tell she wasn't much comfortable with asking this question in particular or with having such a conversation at all. Elena felt her pulse hammering in her ear, how the adrenaline rushed through her veins. She was wide aware: her own pulse that wasn't really there felt so real that she felt like herself again. The part of her that had been separated from her body standing aside watching, had found his way back. The shortening reactions had disappeared: "I barely remember the first couple of weeks. They're just a blur of importance's." _Like a movie she was seeing herself sitting on the couch with the same blanket and the same look on her face: Lost, helpless. _Without further ado Elena drew April into her arms, _protect her, let her cry._

She had no right to be the comforter.

_Chances number four: But sometimes facing our wildest sins is what keeps our humanity._

* * *

The sky was blue, only disturbed by a few clouds but they only had a hand in making the day more beautiful.

She was spying on them as they acted all normal, lying there in the grass casually. "They look happy." – his voice was full of sadness but he was on her side. That's all that matters. In a briefly moment she was doubtful about her actions but it wasn't enough to cause a change.

They all were innocent yet a spawn of hell. Their errors were hers and she wasn't making mistakes, not anymore. The world was separated into black and white; Grey or anything in between didn't exist. You have to pay for your actions; to give back as you were given.

"They really do look happy." He said it _again. _Maybe we should just leave things as they are." She smiled about his unsteady behavior, not at all worried that he could reconsider their partnership. "I don't see any harm. Elena and Stefan are super-happy. They are not harmed by him and Caroline…" He got speechless. "Tyler." She almost sounded motherly as she positioned behind him guiding his view in the direction she wanted to. "Just take a closer look: Bonnie's face is full of sadness and worry. No wonder, trying to think of what she had done. And Stefan and his lovely Elena: They are _insanely happy, yes to be together. _But can you imagine how happy they'd be if they lived a _normal life_ with children and so on." As she talked she felt Tyler stiffen by using the word _normal._ The word still hovering in the air and in the back of his mind as she continued: "and Caroline and you could become _parents, too_.

"Your promise, no-one will end up hurt, is still on?

"Of course it is. I've already told you. I just want to take care of everything to fall back into place. I did a lot of things I am not proud of. Do you trust me in fixing them?"

"I do."

_Choices number nineteen: The means are justified by the end result._

She wouldn't have to intervene with them: The leading parts were allocated, creating their undoing necessarily without any further ado from the outside.

All she had to do was to wait and see.

_Chances and Choices: Let the games begin: Which lead do you want to take? Good cop, or bad cop? Who will be the winner of a game that cannot be won?_

* * *

__**Cut!**


	9. Chapter 9

Choices to be made

Chapter 9

Was it cheap of her that a funeral made things easier for her? The remorse and the guilt she couldn't escape helped her to not forget. The physical pain reminded her of who she really was?

None of them said much this day. April had been joking around as if she was on drugs. She needed that, acting hilarious before facing the truth. At night, Elena had been woken up by Aprils´ cries; they ended up sleeping together in Elena's bed, April clinging to her as to a life saver. The heartbeat was over tuned by her friends 'cries; as Elena tried to tell her she wouldn't be sad forever.

* * *

The funeral feast was at the Gilbert's and Elena was glad to not be alone; surrounded by people who didn't know what she had done. The tension between Stefan and her brother was growing without any fault of Stefan's own. It would have been naïve of him to think friendship would become possible in the nearer future. Stefan knew where he stood and although he hated it; he had no right to expect something different to rejection. "I'm sorry." – Elena muttered pressing a kiss onto his shoulder before her arms were thrown around him from behind. "Don't be. If I was him I would hate myself, too." The tender sigh of hers grazed his shoulders. "How do you feel?" – "Me?" Today's not important _how I feel._" – "Yes, it is." He said firmly. "To me it is." Their hands were interlocked. "I feel awful but at the same time I am happy whenever I can be there for her. I want to be her shoulder to cry on; but whenever she's near me I also want to run as fast as my legs would carry me. " – "Come here." Falling into his arms she listened to his voice so soft and low only she was able to hear him saying: "Regret, hate and love are the most powerful emotions we can share." Elena was thankful that the funeral was quite a solid explanation for her emotions turning up and down; at least a solid one Stefan would swallow.

_Chances number six: Telling him. Maybe he doesn't do so well in swallowing it. But why doesn't he commit it?_

She had it all-

The love: Nothing was comparable to this feeling she wanted to keep so badly. The wanted to be the girl she used to be; the woman he had made her and the one who was worthy of his love; just good enough.

She did feel regret and she suffered maybe more than could ever be described. She regretted causing this look in Young's eyes; she regretted disappointing her family and friends; she regretted inflicting a loss April would never overcome. Who if not her should know that? She regretted it all.

But she couldn't bring herself around the regret the _flashpoint: _She suffered because of the consequences but she'd never have made a different choice: Not when everything she had ever been fighting for depended on _this one decision. ; and blood so delicious _that she only had two feelings controlling her: _Love and bloodlust._

With the love winning the upper hand there came also the room for another feeling: _Hate._

"Hey guys!" – Damon's cheery voice was beyond wrong at this moment but he didn't seem to take note of it or even care. "How are you two doing?" He was rude; he was annoying and mist of all, he shouldn't be here. "Damon, keep quiet. The isn't the right time or place for you doing some sick form of self-portrayal." "Keep cool, keep cool" he said almost off guarded. "I only wanted to act polite." Stefan's eyes saying _Oh really? _We're shutting him silent. "What are you doing here Damon?" – "Nothing. Just saying _hello _to Elena: "Hello Elena." – Damon greeted. "since when are you so grumpy?" Elena was sure he had something planned and why the hell was he following them? He was good but not that good , Elena wouldn't have noticed.

"Hey Elena…can I talk to you?" April caught Elena's attention immediately. "Yes sure honey. The word _liar _popped up in her head. _Liar. Liar. Liar. _"I'm sorry guys" – she kissed Stefan on the cheek, taking April by the hand as she guided her to somewhere more privet. To hold her hand was calming but hard all the same: Her pulse was alluring. Elena was so concentrated, she didn't even notice the worried look, Stefan and Damon were exchanging.

* * *

Up in her own room Elena felt save against whatever April was going to offer her. She felt the floor vibrating. She took a closer look at her childhood-friend from head to toe. What an amazing feeling like all the world's might was hers. Gladly, April interpreted Elena's absent facial expression differently. With hints of shock and apology she spoke: "You already know I'm going to move away?"

Elena reacted perplexed. That wasn't what she had thought so the fire of might and power radiating through her body was radiated sooner than it had started to burn. "You are about to leave us?" It was unintentionally to sound that indignant as it had come out but somehow Elena felt betrayed: After giving her shelter; letting her cry in her arms, she lapidary says that she is about to move. _Yeah, betrayed. What would April say if she knew? _

She had needed human-blood for the transition to be completed. _A blood-bag that was. _She had insisted on that. But since…

She wasn't sure about her feelings or her dependability anymore. Only when she was with Stefan she was completely aware and able to focus even if it was on nothing but him. But when he was there, making the right decisions didn't just seem to be easy, it was easy.

"Are you mad?" – "No, no of course I am not mad; just sad. We hadn't had contact for years and now…" Elena forced herself to smile; it was almost weird how easy she could muster that; weird but useful: She was sad; there would be no way to sooth her bad conscious otherwise the only reminder would be gone. And if she was gone nobody would be interested in investigating.

No hurt anymore.

She wanted to tell herself not the selfish-part made her thinking this way but her protective understanding of friendship. "But where are you going?"

_Don't tell anyone about this letter. I know you won't understand now but I promise you will someday. Not everyone is what he seems to be; and you reading this letter proved my suspicious to be correct. It's for your own safety only. _

"My aunt, she lives in Philadelphia." – "Oh that's nice April!" – Elena tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible. _Not everyone is what he pretends to be._

"Thank you for being there for me." She sobbed and Elena herself felt tears forming in her eyes. _Tears of happiness; tears of goodbye. _"I want to be as close to my family as I can. Elena nodded. "That's what friends are for."

They stood there embracing each other. "We will stay in contact." – "Yes we will." Elena replied as she hugged her more tightly careful not break a rip.

April's mumbled "Love you Elena" only made her cry harder.

* * *

"You really seem exhausted. Has this April girl cut or what?" Elena released a bugged sigh. Her face was still teary and she simply didn't want to talk to Damon. Squaring her shoulders she turned around and saw how Damon's jaw dropped, literally. "I had no idea." He tried to rescue this already fucked-up type of conversation. "It's none of your business…April's going to leave Mystic Falls. It was obvious like a blue and cloudless sky on a summer day that Damon didn't got the deeper meaning. His pseudo ability of being emphatic made her furious. To him things were turning out fine. She moving away was in some way a given but Elena wondered how he had survived over a century acting like this cold, uncaring ice-block?

_Choices number seven: Maybe he hadn't survived __**although**__ he acted icy but __**because **__of it?_

It only proved to her once more she never could have been with him. Crossing her arms over her chest in a challenging manner, she finally talked to him "Your acting skills do need an improvement." He was pure indetermination. Former Elena would have told him the same but with a different note. The statement left a bad after taste on his tongue but he couldn't say for sure what exactly it was about. Her normally sparkling eyes were too calm, too focused maybe. "Come on. Dying is part of the circle. You do remember this giant lion telling the little lion how this all works? What was the movie's title again?" Was he saying that to make her laugh or to laugh at her? Whatever. It was impious.

She snorted contemptuously and walked away without taking further notice of him; that shall be enough of an answer. She was busy loading the dishwasher as she wasn't – different to the past – surprised to feel him standing behind her. She made no afford to turn around. "Look I know you are all edgy. Who wouldn't be?" She felt him pulling away from her, taking a few steps back. _One. Two. Three. Four. _

Damon had sensed how edgy she was being; he had expected that just like he had expected her to deny it. Still no answer just the _plop _as the dishwasher was being closed. "I've heard Jeremy was quite pissed about his brother-in law?" "Stop it!" – Uh, harsh and commanding. I like that…sexy." She glared at him although it wasn't very helpful she wasn't in the talking mood. Unless it is impossible to have a serious talk with him; every word spoken would be a wasted one. She still hadn't looked at him as she made her way out of the kitchen.

"Look, I'm not saying you have to kill someone but that's what happens and you'd better be doing in accepting that. "

* * *

Caroline had stormed out obviously in device of a stir. She was fast, but his advanced age made him a lot faster. They almost had reached the debris of the old Salvatore mansion deep in the woods stopping at exactly the same second. "Stefan." Stefan had anticipated Caroline would be not amused by him following; but seeing her shocked face proved his actions right.

"Caroline what's wrong?" She didn't seem to notice his attendance although he had heard her saying his name but her eyes weren't focused on him as they scanned the area and its every whistle and movement fanatically; The wood-pecker and one, no three squirrels but no third person.

"I saw him! I swear it to you, I saw him!" Already screaming the last part Caroline was starting to question her mental capacity; she wasn't going insane, was she? "Who, who did you see Care?" Holding her wrist Stefan tried to break through to his best friend. That's what she was to him: His best friend. She was so much like Lexi but so unlike her at the same time that he wouldn't get into a pretty pickle to treat Caroline only as a consolation. He never would forget Lexi but pertly, annoying Caroline was close to his heart. "You can't believe me, can you?" – "I can't tell" She rolled her eyes at him. "Not until you've told me what you think you have seen."

"Klaus." She sniffled – "I've seen Klaus." Stefan who was completely caught off guard had a problem to bring his thoughts into a sense-making order; his mind worked slower than usual refusing to process the information: What mustn't be that can't be.

He tried his best to accomplish a smile but as soon as he recognized she wasn't making fun of him saying: "Got´cha" it only grew half-heartedly as he pleaded and prayed.

"Did you ever wonder why we aren't dead while our bloodline was supposed to be depended on him?"

All his praying was useless; She had taken away his hope.

* * *

"Good of you to come." Her tone was sort of restive. He looked around: Everyone was gone or asleep but he Gilbert's living-room was alighted as he saw Elena sitting at the dining-table, waiting for him. Was the light to add some dramatic art?

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you honey but it all had happened so fast and Caroline…" His shoes hit the floor noisily but Elena didn't even blink. Only as Stefan intended to kiss her she turned away. "You really thought I would let you get away this easy?" At least she was facing him now. "Get away with what?" As she laughed it wasn't the joyful one he loved because he could tell she was laughing at him and his stupidity. "You've already admitted it and now?" Standing up she took a few steps forward but made clear he wasn't allowed to come closer. "Why do you try to keep it a secret that you've spent the afternoon with Care?" She was clearly expecting an answer but what should he say? On his way home he had thought about how he would tell Elena what Caroline thought to see. As impossible as it seemed in the first place the more logical it became in the second. He knew Klaus well enough to know if he was back he wouldn't wait long for revenging. Elena needed to know and maybe she could enlighten him. But now, he wasn't sure. She already seemed kind of crazy. Was she really alleging him having an love affair with Caroline? _Not again! They've already been through this. _"Not again `Lena." – "Not gain? Not again? Is this all you come up with?, she mocked. "genius."

Okay he had been perplexed but now he was getting slightly indignant. "Firstly Caroline – _a friend – _had an emergency; secondly…", he continued speaking in a manner far away from being touched by Elena's improper ironical whistle. "You could have called me on my cell phone and thirdly…" the volume of his voice avoided any interruption. "You'll hear me out for god's sake!"

She was quiet now. "Knocked for a loop or what?" From one second to the other she felt miserable in her skin. She had been so angry and jealous…again. What had been crystal clear turned out to be ridiculous and embarrassing. "You just font want to understand me, do you?" Stefan shrugged his shoulders; of course he wasn't aware of doing something wrong. "You're right. I can't relate to you." – "Just forget it." Taking a step forward before making two backwards he thought they would speak and find a solution like they always did.

But instead of that she placed his pillow and blanket on the couch.

* * *

The good thing about living in a small town like Mystic Falls is that your neighbors are way more than someone to meet at the garden hence. In some cases they can be as important as your family. The bad thing about small towns is for example the transport connection. April was the one to learn it the hard way: All two hours only one single bus. And if this wasn't bad enough it was raining buckets so that she had considered going back to Elena's but her inner voice was alarmingly loud. If only she could have asked her father: He had gotten her into hot water. How many times up until now had she read his letter but failed at reading in between the lines?

_My dearest April,_

_Sitting here I try to write to you and imagining what you will look like as you get it; how old you will be; what kind of person you have become. Writing this letter means I can't be there for you forever, maybe not even as long as we both expected it to be. You yelled at me only yesterday you didn't like me anymore since we had to move away. Don't tell anyone about this letter. I know you won't understand now but I promise you will someday. Not everyone is what he seems to be; and you reading this letter proved my suspicious to be correct. It's for your own safety only. _

_Just like I promised you this day, we had come back. But believe me now when I am telling you to leave in exact the minute you finish reading. _

_Grayson gave this key to me and I am giving it to you. The secrets this key holds need to be locked up. Only god knows what damage they could cause being in a founding families' hands._

_I am sorry to keep this burden up to you but I hope you will understand my motives at least one day in the future._

_If you need help, Esther will be there for you and don't you worry: She will find you._

_No matter what you do, never forget how much I love you._

_Dad_

April's fingers grazed slowly over the tiny key that she almost had had overlooked. He was rusted and old. She wasn't even sure a suitable door lock existed.

You must be April."

_Choices number twenty: To trust or not to trust._

_**She will find you.**_

* * *

**Cut!**_  
_


	10. Chapter 10

Choices to be made

**Chapter 10**

The smell of fresh coffee woke him. Ending a night on the couch that could not had been less comforting or peaceful. With a groan he rose up throwing his legs over the way too small couch, rubbing his eyes and was thankful his dislocated neck and back would be healed soon. He took the cup Jeremy was offering him.

"I thought you could need it." Although he never froze the coffee was like velvet for his body as well as his mind. "Thanks Jer." _Damn it. _He apparently had exceeded the limits, judged by Jeremy's knitted eyebrows and the fact he obviously couldn't turn his back on his guest fast enough. The reply was a barely whispered "You're welcome."

Stefan had stood up finally; walking over into the kitchen area knowing to accompany Jeremy at the breakfast table was a very bad idea, he stood there feeling like the natural foreign body that he was. "There are blood bags in the refrigerator but who am I telling this?" Talking to a vampire is insofar beneficial as you don't have to face him if you don't want to. So Jeremy at first didn't recognize Stefan taking a seat and filling a dish with cereals. It only was a side effect; barely noticeable and clearly without any high priority: To have a breakfast together had never been on Jeremy's priority list but now?

_You always want what you can't have._

"No blood?" Stefan shook his head in denial unable to answer with his mouth being full with cereals. "Okay…you were hanging out with Caroline last night, weren't you? – "Yes, we were. Why´s that important to you? Stefan didn't trust the shrug of Jeremy's shoulders -rather poorly than well- disguising his motivation. "It´s not important to me but to Elena it obviously is." He pointed at the provisory bed with its crumbled blanket and its lack of comfort space like this answered the question. Partly it did. "I already came up with Elena being mad at me…but I never thought of one forgotten phone call as a reason. " Stefan was stagnated in his speech by seeing Jeremy's puzzled face. "What?" – Nothing." Jeremy drew his look away setting up an uninterested face as he turned back to his pancake. "Depends on your reasons." Putting aside the spoon Stefan leaned back into his chair. "Fill me in." Knitting the bridge of his nose showed how the understanding was establishing. His smile combined with his eyes being squeezed shut made him look…kind of crazy. "We are not really talking about that, are we?" The trace of amusement on Stefan's face wasn't really simplifying the matter. "I´m just trying to understand why you were so busy…" The rest of the sentence was kept hanging in the balance. Devil-may-care, Jeremy started to do the dishes still saying nothing as Stefan took the dishtowel. They worked in silence but as the plates were done and the silverware was about to follow, Stefan said:

"I refuse to believe you really do believe it'd cheat on your sister."

Jeremy gave him a short look only to go back to the sink; the bubbles worked on him like hypnosis. It was hard to break away. If he thought carefully he never came up with the idea of calling him a cheater. It appeared to be ridiculous guiding your thoughts into this direction. By all the reasons for that he scorned Stefan, he had had to side with him.

It was no secret how over –dramatic, touchy and easy melting into tears girls were. But his sister had never been a drama queen. She only cried when it was necessary – whatever that meant- but it always had been easier for him to bring her down. Like the one time when she had been forced to break up with Stefan by this bloody-bitch Katherine. She released the irrational yet somehow logical fear, Stefan would fall for Katherine again or much more worse- came to realize it wasn't Elena who his heart belonged to. And just like then, when he had locked the door and – very unmanly- cuddled with her on the bed, assisted by her Teddy, he wanted to hold her again.

_The guests were almost gone. Looking after Elena he came across the kitchen only to almost be over stumbled by her who raced at a speed like the devil hunting for a soul. "Hey you, be happy almost everyone´s gone or how did you plan to explain you're faster than greased lightning?" Obviously Elena wasn't in the mood for joking; as she turned around he saw her black eyes and the veins streamed all over her face. He was bounded to have a look at her sharp fangs. She could turn so easily from being his sister to being nothing than a vampire._

"You know her. She's a stubborn girl. I couldn't even start to say something before she disappeared."

_He heard how the dresser was tossed aside – broken – her frames and her make-up were spread all over the floor. "Lena?" The brunette turned around immediately, retracting her vampire set of teeth. "Everything´s fine, Jer." She said way too calm. "Is it?" He replied doubtfully as he started to clean her room. The dresser was ruined completely as was the carpet. Elena appeared by his side, trying to help him when he was almost done._

"That all never would have happened before." He continued unwillingly. " I couldn't help but let the goose bumps appear on my skin."

"_Stefan's out with Caroline tonight." - "I know." Jeremy couldn't find something bad about this; They were all friends. "You knew?" – "Yeah, I did." He shrugged his shoulders but reared back as he saw his sister and the hint of rejection in her eyes. "Damon told me." Instead of holding him off, Elena continued to clean up the mess. What's wrong?" – "I just feel like being on the verge of exploding!", she threw a pile of clothes across the room. "It´s just…I´m…I´m…" – "You're jealous." Jeremy helped her out. Her face became sad, "Yes…yes, it feels like jealousy."_

"Jealous." Stefan choked out. He had listened carefully to what Jeremy was reporting; tasting the word on his tongue until it nearly was neutralized. "Jealous." He repeated unemotionally as the pieces began to fit together.

"_But why? It´s Stefan we´re talking about." The chocolate-milk Jeremy had made was still hot but not as hot that it wasn't drinkable but Elena seemed to be glad about this given chance to play for time; preferably she wanted to avoid his questions._

"She said something about being a bad vampire that she disappointed you and Caroline doing so much better in all was –of course - Your preferred company." Jeremy looked kind of helpless. Was it right to tell Stefan what Elena had told him as a word in his ears? On the other side, Stefan and Elena were in a relationship. He just wanted to help and desisted from that: Hadn't Stefan a right to know? "I told her, we all knew Damon well enough to know he talks a lot without thinking."

But Stefan was barely listening to what Jeremy was saying. How often had he thought Damon had learned from his mistakes; believed their brotherhood was replaceable after the talk they had. What Damon had said was right: True love is about holding on and letting go. Damon was still holding on.

* * *

"I tell you, we have a problem and by "problem" I mean global-crisis." He loved big-shots, being in attention´s center. Unlike his childhood when he always had acted to be cool but was the insecurity itself – he today really was this big and bad guy; a guy with a personal-crisis. Sometimes even he had no idea which part of him was real. Real was that he was pissed about having to ask Elijah for help.

"We are fucked up." –Bonnie. Sometimes silent waters are deep. Damon smiled at her almost warmly Bonnie thought. "I´m sorry but there is nothing else to be said."

"Oh, there is." Elijah had – calm and investigative like he was- listened to Bonnie and Damon. It was a mess how he was being damned with such a coward that was Damon Salvatore.

_You only get what you give…_

Elijah knew he was smarter than the rest; Even smarter than Niklaus. "We can't risk Elena to find out and with Stefan already being suspicious, Elena is about to become the one unknown variable." Klaus had been appeased for now that he was in disguise. He accepting the rules didn't mean he couldn't change them randomly whenever he felt like doing so.

"Stop the black-painting." Bonnie said slightly annoyed. "We shouldn't cross any bridges before we come to them. Stefan would never purposely put Elena into danger."

* * *

"Hey, you look kind of grumpy."

Stefan smiled slightly as Caroline nudged him playfully. "Bad night?" The tired look he gave her spoke volumes. "Mine, too." She imagined to rub the sleep out of her eyes would give her a better excess to her spinning mind. She´d swear to high heaven she had seen Klaus standing next to her bed, brushing her over her cheek.

"But you do believe me, don't you?"

Stefan sighed slowly as his locker sprang open; he refused to believe her. It wouldn't make much of a sense anyway yet it was the only logical explanation. "I have no idea." – he admitted truthfully.

_Let sleeping dogs lie, their bark is worse than the actual bite…_

But if Klaus was still alive why was he running away?

* * *

Stefan couldn't bring himself to pay attention. Not with Elena ignoring him or cursing him with her bad temper from time to time. No greeting in the morning, no smile, no nothing…Kind of an awkward situation. The playful looks filled with love they shared normally were given away to a flash of worried glances; a reflection of Elena's angry glances he caught as she watched Caroline from the side. He knew this kind of expression:

_Mystic Falls, April 1864_

_Just another day in paradise Stefan thought poetically as he was grooming his horse._

"_Do I need to worry; you do treat your horse a lot better than you've treated me, Mr. Salvatore."_

_Katherine. Her gracefulness and her charms had him bewitched. She was his only thought, his only desire and his greatest longing; his Aphrodite and his pain: Not to touch her hurt him physically. Almost as much as to hurt her feelings did._

"_Take me in your arms, Stefan."_

_She felt so good in his arms. How she settled her head onto his shoulder, her arms wound around him. Withdrawing she said sweetly: "I didn't hurt you, did I?" He shook his head "no" in amusement._

_It wasn't important if it hurt. It´s only important what she wants?_

"_That´s good." Katherine aspirated falling back into his embrace. _

"_You're quite clinging today." Not that he had any reason to complain. "Not as much as Ms. Emilia was today. I want to remind you of who you belong to, Stefan." _

The message didn't match with the level of her voice: She sounded like a little kid talking about her favorite stuff-animal. But he hadn't noticed it. Watching him from toe to head she had placed a chaste kiss onto his lips. That´s all she had needed to do to get his attention.

"_It´s a shame, isn't it: Your father electing Ms. Emilia to be your dinner partner? I am not amused, Stefan."_

"_But Katherine….darling, you know I always will love…" There he stood: Rooted to the ground and out of words because he knew she wouldn't want him to defend. "It was a amicable embrace. Our families are connected since Damon was born."_

"_Speaking of Damon…." She began talking how only she could do it: Lovely, cruel and merciless. "You and Emilia will have all the privacy you want since I will have to keep my eyes on Damon." _

_The satisfaction with that she spoke these words hurt him and she enjoyed it fully._

The dinner had been pure harassment and horror. He had spent the entire evening watching Katherine and Damon flirt. She knew he was looking. She knew he saw whenever her hand was disappearing under the table.

Emilia had been ignored by him for the entire time.

As he wanted to explain his bad manners and lay an apology to her, he was told she already had left. He never saw or heard from her again.

Oddly, no-one had ever heard from her again….

* * *

**Cut!**_  
_


	11. Chapter 11

Choices to be made

_Thanks to everyone who has read this story so far. And a special thanks to my anonymous French reviewer: I don't speak French but "Merci beaucoup! __. _

_I hope that you and all of you like this chapter. It isn´t really eventful but the peg on which the rest of the plot hangs. So…enjoy and leave a review, please._

_stelenaarelovely_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

The woods that always had been a huge part of childish nightmares she has had had become the only place where she was able to calm down. How ironical. Standing in front of the tomb she waited for Stefan´s arrival. It was the only save place for them to meet although being built for prisoning vampires made this place the most unsafe place for him. But Stefan accomplishing meant he wanted to talk to her badly.

Bonnie was sitting there cross-legged leaning against the stone wall. Stefan already had gotten suspicious this day during lunch-time when she had received a call from Elijah. She had been that much low on papering over the cracks that she certainly had fanned the flames of his mistrust. But what if she had awoken it when there had been nothing to be fanned? Though she knew Caroline had seen Tyler and knew she had told Stefan about that, she was still hoping he would declare Caroline to be legally insane and simply leave it at that, she knew it better: Stefan never lets a matter rest.

"Thank you for coming Bonnie." _It´s show time. _"Sorry for being late but I had a little talk with Elena…" Had they spoken out? Would be better. Or would it make things worse? Bonnie couldn't decide. "No, big deal. If you need some Elena-advising; I´m your girl." She tried to take a step forward but was helplessly disappointed by him waving aside his hopes as he took a place beside her. "Actually it´s not about Elena but I don't want her to know as well." He didn't feel at ease with his statement. The exclude one another wasn't a part of their philosophy as a couple. "She couldn't help me though… It´s witch business."

Did he notice the fear in her eyes? if his lack of replying was anything to go by, then probably not. "No matter what, I am your girl."

_Watch out Bonnie: It is an open secret that highly paid clowns are highly depressive private men. _

"I´m all ears."

"It´s ridiculous but I think it´s better to get things clear."

"Stefan, whatever it is…"

_And the Oscar goes to: Bonnie Bennett. Cinema at its best: Who had known Bonnie Bennet is able to play naïve and honest all in one?_

"Is it within the bounds of possibility that Klaus may still be alive?" Thereby Stefan had his head reclined onto the wall he couldn't see Bonnie getting pale. It was a stodgy question. No wonder she was out of words. "I know it´s impossible." He let a sigh escaping his lips. "But Caroline says she had seen him." – "And you do trust her in this matter?" Raising her voice a lot more than she had wanted intentionally her improper hysterical reaction was echoing from the walls. In repetition it sounded even more pathetic. _There was no way for him to come around noticing. _The third time made her jump onto her feet. "Is everything okay, Bon?"

"Yes, of course." She was shaking, subtly but still.

"Do you understand now why I wanted to meet you secretly?"

"But you do believe Caroline? I mean let´s face it: As scary and disgusting as it might be: Caroline had feelings for him. It´s possible she just wanted him to be there, unintentionally." _What a lame excuse._

_Titanic is about to hit the iceberg exactly….now! Or are you able to turn around?_

"But how – and correct me if I´m missing something – can we all still be alive? This was it: the ultimate chance to tell Stefan now. He would understand her intentions. How was she going to defend her decision to sacrifice Tyler for the big picture against Elena, against Caroline?

Sometimes at night and alone she barely awake but as well barely sleeping, she got the answer before it slipped away: She had spent too much time with vampires and witches; too much time with Damon and Elijah. Elijah. He really was one of a kind: Somehow obscure and unpredictable in his actions. It was hard to decide if you should adore him curse him or in some way pity him. Why was he so set on saving his brother when they seem to be rather miles apart than grown close? Is it in the nature of brotherhood to do anything you can even if you can´t stand each other? Or is the real secret that the love is hidden under an exterior?

"May I ask you something?"

"A Roland for an Oliver." He said making her smile. "Why are Damon and you…why do you keep on rescuing each other?" Stefan blew a short whistle. "Damon and me….we used to be best friends; so different yet it felt like being supplemented being in each other's company and then…" - "Katherine came by…" Stefan gave her a sad look. "I wished the answer was that easy to reply: We were like a union; fighting against our father who said he´d love us but was being such a despot. It didn´t matter to him if we were happy; it was all about the duration of our dynasty." Stefan stopped feeling somewhat tired by all the centuries lying on his shoulders. "The firstborn always gets it all: The fortune and the prestige as well as the power and the burden. Our father was on the opinion wasn't capable of the needed qualities. In our father´s eyes Damon was a bon vivant. He couldn't bring himself to trust him.

"But he did trust you?"

Stefan nodded slowly. "I sometimes think they didn't get along with each other because he saw something in Damon: A mirrored picture of his own inadequacies."

_He was being late. Too late. It wasn't new but Stefan couldn't get along with his older brother stumbling from one misery into the other. Though, Damon was his role model whom he admired only in secret: Damon was all Stefan was not but in some ways wanted to be. Therefore Stefan was what Damon liked to call his "guardian angel" that covered him up whenever their father was about to find out which way the wind was blowing. And until this very day, they managed to avoid being caught red-handed. It wasn´t that Giuseppe Salvatore was displeased about his heirs´ nightly encounters furthermore it was a thorn in his flesh to know that Mystic Falls was talking about Damon as a lady-killer. He himself had brought having wedlock activities to perfection. The only discrepancy was that in his case, it was accepted so no-one talked about it whereas Damon was badmouthed. If Damon wasn't appearing here soon he couldn't guarantee anything. The candle was almost burned out; going back into the kitchen to get a new one was impossible and an unsteady risk. Damon would have to hurry if he didn't plan to play "blind man´s bluff". The knock on the wash houses´ window startled him out of his thoughts. As swiftly as the candle in his hands allowed him to, Stefan climbed onto linen closet opening the window. "Jesus, Stef…" Damon breathed heavily as he tried to force himself through the little window. "I thought you had forgotten about me." But as always he landed on his feet all effortless and without black and blue marks. Stefan only made a face at Damon taking a bow, "Thank you…Thank you very much…Thank you….Thanks…." , acting as if he was a tightrope artist acknowledged with applause of his imaginary audience. "Damon, come on now. We have to hurry." Stefan got nervous. While he always acted with caution, Damon´s limits were variable. "Come on Stef. Don't be grumpy." He tousled his little brother´s hair as he made his way out of the wash house as if he had all the time in the word, humming a happy melody._

"That sounds great." Bonnie commented being deeply moved by Stefan´s story. It was only a snapshot but it held that much meaning that she began to understand. "And then?" – "We weren´t caught if you mean that. But I guess our father knew; was it the gossip going around town or his instinct. He knew. To insist on your opinion no matter what was an unwritten law. Not that I have given you any indication in that department." Stefan added jokingly.

"_But father please, listen to me. That wasn't the plan. I am not the one to continue the proceedings." Stefan was shocked to use a no quite correct form. That really was all that he needed: His life was turned upside down, the plans he had were null and void. "Don´t you think that Damon is the better choice? He is the firstborn and you always keep reminding us that traditions need to be kept. It was a sad try but he needed to. Giuseppe never had been a man to speechify matters. There they sat: In the dining-room on the oversized table shrouded in their normal definition of company: Even then they were together they were all alone. The only noise was the clattering tableware predominated by Stefan´s statement. "Father, are you listening?" Giuseppe didn't reply. He wasn't in the need of answering according to his own law. "He won´t give you an answer he never does." Damon said instead way too calmly. The fork screeched against the plate giving the patriarch his self-evident attention. "I have to think of our family's reputation." With the atmosphere being calm and cold Stefan kept focusing on his meal. He could picture the angry stares that his father and brother were exchanging easily by memory. "Reputation? You? You of all people dare to tell me about reputation? How can you? "Damon…"Giuseppe said warningly. "Guard your tongue." But he didn't think of doing what his father told him to. He hadn't done that before and he wouldn't start doing that now only to be eating humble pie as long as his father wanted to put him down. To have nothing to lose makes you brave, much braver than you truly are. "Tell us father: Tell us how many brothers and sisters do Stefan and I have? "That doesn't even enter the equation." Nothing their father hadn´t wanted to talk about had ever entered equation. Nor Stefan nor Damon knew by number how many siblings they had. They had been told to avoid their gazes if they ever met one of them in public. And sometimes they didn't even know their names. "It´s irrelevant because they aren't Salvatore´ like you two are." Stefan´s flinching and Damon blowing a raspberry stayed uncommented. It hadn´t been said in particular but that wasn't even necessary. The message was hard enough and oh so clear: They were not loved for being his sons or for being humanly good. The only thing that had brought them something comparable to love was the fact that they wore his name. _

In the end, all that Stefan and Damon had been each other. But the ditch created by their father was nothing to be rationalized away. They had grown closer yet they were further apart than ever. Partly because Damon was ashamed of his behavior and the involved consequences, partly because Stefan´s life had changed overnight: To study medicine was no longer an option. Therefore he was being introduced to several potential business partners and most of all – his bride-to be. Damon wasn't mad at his brother. No. He was…alone. His brother- his best friend was gone; taken away from him and he had no chance to get him back. At least that´s what it looked like to him and what he had been told. Never would he have thought his birthright would be taken away from him within seconds.

"He often accused me of leaving him behind; that I was not interested in him anymore because if thinking I was better than him." Today he knew Damon had been right. Being his father´s heir was nothing he had dreamed of. But to be the one who earned the public´s confidence suited him more than he admitted. Suddenly he was the older brother.

* * *

"Could you be so kind to tell me why exactly I am here?" He had agreed to help her; to find out how the land lies there down in Mystic Falls but he surely had grown out of his children´s shoes where he had her telling him to look alive and he did it without questioning. But as usual he had gotten roped into something without questioning. _The best made intent is the willful one._

He was relied on the conviction that his intentions were noble. She wouldn't harm anyone, he knew that. His thousands of life experience had taught him to separate crocodile tears from true remorse. In his noble point of view people weren't naturally bad. The circumstances forced them to focus on their darker sides.

He trusted her and he believed in her. If she broke her promises he could eliminate her easily: though he knew it wouldn´t that be that _easy._

In principle, he had called her insane as she had come around with her plan and her tries of winning him over. Looking into the subject of becoming human again had never been a thing he had wasted his time. It had been a moot point.

Until now.

And although he hadn't decided if he wanted to become mortal again and he was convinced Klaus would negate this question, Elijah knew this way was the right one. He as the younger brother with nothing less than his common sense was working behind his brother´s back; knowing that this was the only way to save him from his demons.

_Choices number twenty-one: You need to solve the brainteaser: Who your friends and who your foes are: Watch out! To make friends can cloud your common sense, can´t it? Watch out: Can you disguise the wolf in sheep´s clothing?_

Elijah was convinced he already had.

* * *

**Cut!**


	12. Chapter 12

Choices to be made

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_A huge thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites or follows. It´s awesome. And as special thanks to StelenaAreMeant who I sadly couldn't thank personally._

_Have fun!_

_Yours,_

_stelenaarelovely_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

„To trust or not to trust". Taking its cue from Hamlet´s famous "to be or not to be" will forever be the description of the most general question of life: To live or not to live? To love or not to love? To kill or not to kill? And the only way to solve a general question is to answer it generally: Maybe. This can easily be seen as what it is – a double bind-dilemma totally accepted by society without the tiniest words of protest. It´s in evidence how multifarious this little phrase can be if we let it grow. Idioms and all pieces of traditional wisdom create an illusion of false security.

He loved it how the sun warmed his face even though he couldn't actually feel it he loved to evoke the memory of it. The graveyard and his grave in particular was the only place he was able to haunt without the necessity of someone actually calling out his name, the way Jeremy had a few days ago (or were it weeks already?) whereby he had been able to visit him. The graveyard is such a general place like a motel room is for a vampire: It can work out but it doesn't have to: a gray area where being missed is an omnipresent feeling. He came here whenever he wanted to escape the party that was going on above where he lived now. Grayson had asked him to join him and Giuseppe for poker but he had declined politely. To join them in whatever they were doing was going against the grain for him; absolutely out of question. He rather loved to watch the people coming and going, some he knew and some he tried to get to know by their behavior or by simply creating his own imaginations of their personalities.

Like a timeline or the groundhog day, every time that Alaric came here there were two similar things: His grave candle was always burning and the little old lady who was obviously bad at walking visited her husband´s grave every single day and after that she would take a seat on the old bench diagonally opposite to his grave, waiting for him. "Hello Ric." You could easily say she was his friend; One of only a few who he could interact with. "Hello Ruby." He greeted with a smile. "how are you doing?". She winced in pain as she rubbed her leg. "As if you didn't know. My legs are going to kill me sooner or later." She joked not knowing what Alaric had known all along: She had a bad trombone that truly would be killing her in less than three months. That´s the bad side of being a ghost - you get to know people without making actual contact with them – but if you do like him and Ruby had, you know that their fate is settled. "Where have we stopped? Revolution of 1848?" They were cut from the same clouth; not only caused by their job choice but their inner qualities. Not for the first time Alaric was wondering what Damon would have said if he had introduced Ruby to their guy-like evenings_. He would have been pissed to no end;_ how he missed being able to make Damon feel pissed. The white-haired lady gave him this one and only look. A look he remembered seeing on his elementary school teacher´s face: Warm, love and full of empathy. "Are you sure you want to talk about West-European Revolutions, today?" This question already implicated a "no" for an answer. "I know why you always come here, Ric." "To have a talk with you." Ric said in all honesty he could muster. The knowing smile he earned was able to make him blush and even if it wasn´t visible physically didn´t mean he couldn´t feel it.

It was true he hadn´t come here with the intention to make friends because seriously why? Ghosts' didn´t need friends. But reality had proved him otherwise- Ruby had proved him otherwise. If there does exist one similarity only between the livings and the deaths it´s the necessity of friendship. What a shame he hadn´t met Ruby earlier; but would he have recognized their potential as friends at all? _Probably not; most certainly not._ "And that´s why?" he challenged her and made her laugh at his joking manner.

He was one of only a few people who actually cared about her and didn´t label her as an old burden being "old and slow on the uptake." Might be, her brain worked slower than ten years before but it you couldn´t throw her on the scrap heap. "You want to be informed about the town´s latest gossip and…" "And I want to ask about the state of your well-being." Alaric added humorously given that he really cared for her. He saw her shifting her position on the way too hard wooden bench causing her face once more to grimace in pain. "I should think about bringing a pillow or something else with that help her to put her feet up. "My grandson has taken over the job. He´s quite a good teacher just like you. You two are very much alike. Alaric took a bow. "I feel honored, my lady. How are Stefan and Elena doing?" The last time he had come home, nor Stefan or Elena had been there to meet, only the reverend's daughter and Jeremy. He could have kicked himself for not using this one opportunity. He needed a better plan for cutting his beloved´s losses before it was too late. Sadly, he seemed to be fighting one´s last stand with nothing but his inner belief and his love. That´s when Ruby came into the game. Whenever his adversaries were trying to trip him up, she was his eyes as well as his ears. "I can´t tell you much though." She continued hesitantly as she recognized how the disappointment tried to break through as to becoming visible on his face but aside from that she saw him fighting against it. "But from what I can tell you, the prophecy hasn´t taken place yet." His face rocked upwards as he tried to read her face, tried to find the snag. "Drew has told me about a little encounter on his first day. Stefan and Elena are so carefree and in love." She chuckled while speaking her next words. "Comparably to an epidemic – a good one of course." With her bright blue eyes hidden behind a huge glasses frame sparkling, her grin was the one of a young Cheshire cat.

"It´s almost dawn." Rube said suddenly out of nowhere. But Ric was never miffed. _"Old ladies need their routines once in a while, young man."_ She had taught him during their first accidental meeting when she had mistaken him for being the gardener while he swore to high heaven she had to be a ghost. "Tomorrow?" she asked standing up clumsily as usual only to earn the same reaction as usual. "If they let me go, of course. I wouldn´t miss it. May I help you?" It was ridiculous of him to ask but Ruby appreciated his good manners fully aware of the deeper value they had for him.

* * *

"_She´s a minx, Emily! She plays with her attraction and he…he´s taken by her fake virginity!" Katherine was fretting and fuming. Stefan was hers and only hers. How dared this little fragile human to come in her way, how dared he to even look at another woman than her! "Haven't you seen them Emily? The way they frisk around each other."_

"_**Oh Stefan, you are so exhilarating…"Oh, Stefan, do you see? I lost my shoe purposely only to have you kneeling down in front of me.**_

"_**Oh, Stefan! "**_

"_**When will you kiss me finally?"**_

"_**Oh, Stefan!"**_

"_**I love our promenades when we are walking hand in hand while we listen to the birds singing. Don't you love that, too…oh please Stefan tell me…" **_

_**Oh, Stefan!"**_

_Gross, this girl is a plague and an imposition. Emily never had seen Katherine going this crazy about a man .But she had to admit it was quite amusing to watch her imitating Miss Emilia who was – in Emily´s a naive but nonetheless charming young girl. Katherine´s preferred representation was not nearly close to reality. Maybe her objectiveness was being clouded by her subjective emotions._

"_Don´t you think you carry this to excess, Miss Katherine?" Emily caught Katherine´s reflection while she fanned the corset. "Are you presuming me being hysterical?" A glare as cold and remorseless Emily knew exactly to not counter against her will. "I´m not saying anything except my power of observation has shown me that you do care a lot more about Mr. Salvatore than you have cared about all the others before him. Unusual to her, Katherine was lost for words. Had she admired herself in the mirror narcissistically, she now avoided the mirror and preferred a single spot on the floor. "You must learn to precise your conclusions, Emily." Katherine lectured her incapable to admit she actually has a soft spot. "Which Salvatore do you mean?" Emily´s knowing smile that was being reflected in the mirror was as knowing as Katherine´s was faked. _

_She always had taken delight in having two strings to men´s bow. All the men she had played with were fun in an intellectual and a sexual way but never emotionally. While the intervals variegated, the course of events was stable. The men were being used and discarded when they had fulfilled Katherine´s wants. Their final act – the last thing they were good for was to be sucked dry. _

_Veni – She came_

_Vidi- She saw a man, so handsome and lovely that all she wanted to do was own him, no matter what the costs were._

_Vici- What´s more fun- the hunting or the victory? Not only for vampires, is the actual stimulus not to reach the goal itself but to overcome the obstacles along the way. As soon as she had the men in trust and begging for her, she used to drop them without a second thought._

_Stefan and Damon Salvatore should have been no difference. After coming, seeing and succeeding all along the line, she felt something she had never felt before. Although she would never allow herself to talk about emotions let alone love, she couldn´t help the feeling she got by only looking at Stefan Salvatore._

Elena had excused herself from class saying she wouldn´t feel well. And that could hardly be told a lie. She felt even worse than bad she felt like death had warmed her over. As if she had been stung by an adder she had made her way to the women´s room, not giving a damn if anybody saw her using her vampire-speed. If someone saw her, she would compel him. The feeling of sickness was so overwhelming that she actually kneeled in front of the lavatory waiting to get rid of her somewhat upset stomach.

But as nothing happened she sighed resignedly as she folded the toilet lid down and flushed the toilet out of a habit.

Her hope if she´d just throw up and her stomach would be empty, so would her mind stop spinning. She wasn´t as dumb and naïve as to truly believe in this as a solution or the catalyst of her sickness but she had hoped it nonetheless. Like a house of cards she collapsed against the wall crying. Crying like a baby, as if her live depended on it. This bottled-up anger she had deep within her, was something she never has had ever experienced: To want to burn something…anything to the ground and at the same time to equally want to hug her teddy-bear.

And Stefan wasn´t there to help her because Bonnie seemed to have "_some sort of problem". _Pfff….what sort of a problem could _Bonnie _possibly have? She – Elena – was the center of his universe, she was his love and she used to be his only interest. Or had he lost his interest in her now, that she was a powerful vampire who didn´t need any further protection? How often had she left everything behind just for rushing to him, because he needed her? And she had been passionately about it.

Her skin was on fire and her throat was aching for blood; fresh human blood coming directly from the pulsating vain. She suddenly had a good mood to vent her anger on someone any old , for the simple matter of causing problems. If Stefan only acknowledged her as his personal damsel in distress, he could have that.

_Chance number twenty-two: Do you know the difference between a realistic idea and a castle being built high in the air? _

While her crying increased – how could it be that her tears made no intention to run dry anytime soon? – so did the physical pain. Without thinking she banged her head against the wall. Again, and again, and again; every _bang _was a little bit faster than the previous.

"Elena, stop it! Elena…Elena…STOP! Elena!"

Her eyes snapped open and – vampire or not – the tears and the runny mascara were restricting her razor-sharp view. It was Matt kneeling in front of her, looking as if he had seen something he couldn´t quite classify. "Elena…how..?" Snuffling Elena answered completely embarrassed: "You shouldn´t have come. I make a poor appearance." She gave him the hint of a smile. "No…o…o…" Matt stuttered; how should he break it to her gently? She didn´t argue as he shoved her aside gently to sample the hole. _Holy shit. _"What…what is it? Elena turned around and recognized the huge bulge she had caused. "That…that was me?" Regarded to the degree of damage it hadn´t felt as good and calming as it should have. "Well, yeah, I believe so. At least that´s what I saw." Matt answered wondering what the caretaker would say but maybe Elena could simply compel him. "You were faster than the light." Elena laughed at his failed attempted to find a fitting comparison and this brought Matt to relax. "Do you have a headache?" – "Uh, no I don't." Elena giggled. "It didn't feel half as good as I thought it would." His expression showed her how idiotic the sound of it must appeared to his ears. In hers, all she heard was disappointed of not being tortured enough.

"I saw you dug your _claws…_fingernails into the desk." Had she recognized his little pause before "fingernails?" She was giving him no clue if she had or hadn´t. "I wanted to look after you, if you could use a friend." He smiled at her full-heartedly. Yes, she needed someone, someone she could sink her teeth into, some friend, all trustful and willing to help her. _At least one situation she was sure he wouldn´t screw up; like he had screwed up her relationship with Stefan. He could make some amends._

He had sat down next to her causing her shoulders to touch. _How good he smelled…._And while she was talking she didn´t look him in the eyes as she was completely focused on his cervical artery, Matt thought he knew Elena, could rate her but he failed miserably. Elena knew he was speaking as well as she heard his words and replied to them though the meanings didn´t enter her brain even as she seemed to reply eagerly.

His cervical artery emerged by stretching his numb muscles. "So, do you need a friend."

"Yes, yes I definitely do need my best friend." She sighed resting her head on Matt´s shoulder only to inhale more of his wonderful scent. _To kill two birds with one stone._

_The hunter´s golden rule is to adapt oneself to the prey´s needs._

"Stefan and you…do you have any arguments I need to know about?" Elena withdrew her head from his shoulder looking at him. The mention of her boyfriend´s name was as if a lever was thrown. Matt´s blood somehow sang in a low voice. "You would know." She barked. "I had no idea Stefan and you were that close." What was she going at? Everything was okay or so he had assumed. Stefan and he got along a lot better than they had before but that wasn´t any indication for… "What do you mean, Elena?" Without a single word she left the cabin heading to the basin. "There wouldn´t be any argument if you´d be able to hold your tongue for god´s sake!" To see her reflection in the mirror, colder and angrier than he had ever seen her brought shivers down his spine but he was determined to not let it show. "Oh, that´s how the land lies, good to know." His tone was literally dripping with sarcasm. "Then tell me…tell me why I had to worm it all out of you?! I mean, the Elena I know wouldn´t pull a stunt, she would have rubbed it into my face immediately." Slowly, very slowly he set sails by joining the basin beside hers. By now he had got accustomed to her staring glares; he simply shrugged them off.

She hadn´t much to say though. She knew he was right though she was being disarmed by him too easily but was too stubborn to admit defeat. Feeling emotionally bad like she never ever considered it to be possible made her a recalcitrant teenager who would blame anyone as long as she hadn´t to blame herself.

That was so out of character for her.

"I am doing this now, don´t I?" She replied calmly with a slutty grin on her face. "You´ve ruined everything..." she whispered. But the culprit made no intention to move as he replied without further thinking. "It´s not my fault you have thrown yourself at your boyfriend´s brother at every opportunity." He knew he was being rude and that she probably didn´t deserved what he was telling her and though to make charges against each other were unnecessary, it felt good to defeat. Yes, he had been there as she had to make a choice and even as the signs of the time spoke for Damon he had supported her as well as her decision.

_Don´t put the saddle on the wrong horse._

It wasn´t his fault Elena hadn´t been able to choose as well he couldn´t be blamed for her fear of being honest.

But all this inner findings couldn´t be vocalized as he hadn´t opened his mouth before he felt his larynx being compressed with such a force that his eyes were tearing up. Slowly, oh so slowly he felt how his feet lost contact to the ground. Elena was strong, angry furious. "El…aaa…" All his efforts to choke out a word of protest were useless. She wouldn´t let go, he saw it in her eyes. If he hadn´t known it better he would have mistaken her for Katherine.

And for the first time on the long list of occasions where he could have died, this was by far the most horrible one: To be killed by your best friend. Suddenly he wished to be back on this goddamned bridge…

"Don´t you take your hands into mine and Stefan´s relationship or I´ll swear you are going to get your neck snapped."

In the last second, literally – she let go of him. The pure satisfaction evident in her eyes as she watched Matt – this unworthy worm - kissing the dust.

She practically flounced out of the washroom quite proud of herself that she hadn´t bitten him.

* * *

"The second date in less than three days. We´re progressing."

"Dream on, Damon" Bonnie countered.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. That´s just the way he is: an arrogant jock who overestimated his own capabilities; that´s what Bonnie had learned, or better – thought to had learned about him. Was it because of their undercover activities or her talk with Stefan? Whatever…Damon had turned out to be someone she could depend on, who knew his business thoroughly. Yes, he usually departed from his words whenever it seems to be okay with him but –she hardly dared to think so – was the only one she could talk to freely. She came to the conclusion she was not what she had pretended to be: She wasn´t as half as good as she used to be, as she wanted to be. Damon was an ass but so was she, though he did not care she did. But he knew her, sometimes better than she knew herself.

"When´s Elijah coming?"

"He´s not coming at all. Like I said, I want to talk to _you._"

"So, this actually _is a date._" Damon noticed as he pronounced each word

"Like I said, dream on, Damon." Bonnie repeated slightly annoyed. Couldn´t he stay serious, just once? She nearly regretted calling him.

"Alright, alright. Seriously now. Why am I here, Bon bon?" His voice was full of sarcasm though his body language showed how alarmed he was now: He was gliding back and forth of Bonnie´s couch. He seemed nervous. _Found out almost. _But why? Why was he nervous? Perhaps he knew what Bonnie was up to tell him but how? And mainly: why? There wasn´t much for him to fear, was there? Slowly she took the place next to his.

"Are you alright, Damon? You seem quite troubled."

He gave her a reluctant look and if Bonnie had been able to she would have jumped. Instead of that she felt her body temperature falling down sub-zero. "So, _this _hadn't been part of your plan?"

"What?" Bonnie echoed Damon´s whisper.

"Well, if I am being honest, I´ve never really found out what your plan was." He nudged her playfully. "I must say I adored you for that, your intelligence."

"Thanks for that, asshole." Bonnie hoped her rude words would overlap the slightly blushing that crept from her neck over her face. But of course Damon was recognizing. But for some reasons unimaginable he didn´t say a word: No sarcasm, no rude comment, no joke. He simply looked at this little witch he disliked and yet somehow adored so much, totally absorbed by some feeling he couldn´t name; _was afraid to name. _Even Bonnie recognized a change but was as perplex as he. Like a flushed animal she jumped off the couch. It was better to face Damon without being close to him.

"My plan´s a fucked up mess." Bonnie admitted almost soundlessly but loud enough for him to hear. "I´ve sacrificed Tyler in order to save us all. But Tyler is walking around here all the same…" Bonnie sobbed. "In Klaus´ body…"

* * *

What was wrong with her? She wouldn´t have done such a thing, not to Matt, not to anyone, would she? It had been as if she was controlled by someone else. Someone that wasn´t herself. Tomorrow she would visit Matt and apologize. If only he will forgive her…if not, she didn´t know what to do. Matt had taken her for what she is and hadn´t he enough to deal with? All the knowledge about vampirism and death combined with his putative fault concerning her death.

And as much as couldn´t be blamed for her immortal choice he couldn´t be blamed for her self-made relationship-problems. She had to fight her own fights an no-one should be cursed to take her burdens.

The candles were lit and Jeremy had kindly agreed to stay away. Everything was perfect, all she could do now was hoping for Stefan to come. When she had called him earlier he had sounded less enthusiastic than she had wanted him to but she took what she got and ignored this little voice of jealousy that haunted her head and told her to think about what he and Bonnie might be doing right now.

Is he wanted Stefan to trust her she had to trust him in return. Shouldn´t be much of a problem though since Stefan hadn´t given her any occasion for jealously – quite different from her.

"´Lena?" To hear this nickname, this nickname only he used made her stomach flip and her cheeks blush.

"What´s all this?" Her heart dropped as she looked at him. He didn´t seem surprised or happy, if at all he was sort of overran by her switching emotional states. In the midst of this candles she felt lonely and lost.

"Don´t you like it?"

He took a few steps closer to her and the candles. Would she someday overcome this enormous awe she felt whenever she admired his face? She highly doubted that. He was too handsome to tell, to kind to describe and his eyes….his knowing, loving eyes were shining as bright as the most precious diamond. She was able to read this eyes better than herself. Something was bugging him and he seemed to be unsure whether to tell her or not.

But he wasn´t supposed to say anything tonight. Tonight was about him and her apologizing for the hell she took him through. After a time that seemed endless to her, he finally stood in front of her, in the middle of the burning candles.

"I´m…"

"Pssscht…you don´t have to say anything, Stefan." For some feeling of comfort she intertwined their fingers. Stefan looked at them as if he couldn´t believe it had been days since they had been so close to each other, she couldn´t either.

Nervously Elena tried to brush an annoying hair strand out of her face but failed; her hands were shaking too much. In all honesty, it felt much better as Stefan did it for her.

She had wanted so much to say, so much which needed to be sad for her own sanity. But why use words when gestures do so much better.

She gently kissed his temple saying: "I´ve prepared a whole speak and now I can´t even form a straight thought in my mind…all because of you Salvatore."

"I guess, I´ve got the message, Lena. I know you are sorry." He was hurt, of course he was. Who wouldn´t by this obvious lack of trust?

"I act like the jealous girlfriend while you never did anything wrong in this department. Regarding to then past and my behavior I have absolutely no right to accuse you. I love you…I…"

"I know. I love you, too." He whispered on her lips right before he kissed her, sweet and tender. Her lips were tingling so much that she couldn´t stop her from smiling into this kiss.

"We just have to be honest with each other. No secrets, no hiding." She mumbled before she captured his lips again in a much more heated kiss.

They had to make up for lost time.

"_I guess, I´ve got the message, Katherine. I know you are sorry." He was hurt, of course he was. Who wouldn´t be when your girlfriend makes out with your own brother just to evoke your jealousy?_

"_I act like the jealous girlfriend while you never did anything wrong in this department. Regarding to my behavior I have absolutely no right to accuse you."_

"_I know. I love you, too." He whispered on her lips._

_Compulsion is such a strong invention to avoid annoying arguments…._

* * *

"And you mean because Stefan would do everything for me and I would do everything for him, Elijah would do the same?" Damon asked quizzically. He had to admit that what Bonnie was saying made sense even in all its absurdity. Why hadn´t he noticed how calm Elijah had been during their last meeting. Neither had he commented at the fact that they were about to be blown, he hadn´t even been surprised or shocked retrospectively.

He was a mole.

_Choice number twenty-three: Are you coming clean finally or do you prefer to keep on muckraking?_

"We have no choice." Bonnie said almost emotionlessly. "We have to get rid of Tyler prior Stefan sees through our game.

She had spent too much time with Damon…and Elijah.

_The truth is: You always have a choice._

* * *

"What do you want here, Sheila?" He asked the elderly black women who appearing next to him like clicking clockwork – the same procedure as every year?

"_The same procedure as every year, Miss Sophie."_

"You´d think I was a toddler. You come here every time to bring me back home. I´m dead, I´m not afraid of darkness." Sheila was balancing on his gravestone next to him; with her legs cocked she looked more like a child than her fosterling. "If you don´t want me here you mustn't join your own grave; it´s such a giveaway. Alaric eyed her from the side. They never had met personally as Sheila had died shortly after his arrival and long before he had been able to anticipate what he had gotten himself into.

Being newly dead is quite a burden: Though you are in your right mind and fully aware of the loss of your mortal coil, the mental pain replaces the physical. The almost unbearable feeling of being torn apart between acceptance and black despair is fluent. Whoever has advanced the view the process of learning ends equally to the life has no idea. Seriously how? The afterlife is different in so many ways that the mortal minds of ours will never be able to disclose this very secret. Just as the surviving members of your ambiance suffer through darkness, hate and misery, so does the deceased person. Both parties are being faced with one insolvable task: To learn to let go.

"I do think hell couldn't be more painful than heaven already is" he said pointing at the darkening sky above him. Never before had he seen stars shining that brightly; simply beautiful. "The start is never easy." Sheila tried to bring him back on track. "I bet you hadn´t had any problems to fit in." A rose was affected badly as he slid down to come back onto his feet, tomorrow Liz would have to find another grave vandal. _"We have registered an ever increasing number of grave vandalism for quite some time." _– Your grave is quite comfy I must say. Dung manure?" Alaric hadn't even noticed her joining his side, making a fake disgusted face he replied: "Who do you think I am? It´s all mineral!"

He already knew what she was heading to; she wanted to lecture him, not for the first time that was. Sure, she might have been more experienced in the entire afterlife department but that didn´t make her explanations any more reproducible to him. "When people die, they die by getting involved into an accident or a fatal disease, whereas we have died by giving our lives in the service of Mystic Fall´s safety." It wasn´t nice or comforting it rather felt slanderous. "Our task is fulfilled."

While Sheila pretended to make the best out of a bad bargain, Alaric wouldn´t come to terms with his hands being tied. "Just because you don´t have to worry about Bonnie doesn't give you an complimentary ticket to sacrifice everyone else!" he snapped at her so loudly they caught the gardener´s attention. _Poor man has one food in the grave… _She could talk since she had nothing to be afraid of: Bonnie and Jeremy would be able to go on completely unharmed except for the earth-shattering heartbreaks that were just waiting around the corner. "We can't put them into misery visible to the naked eye. I won´t have it!"

Sheila sighed heavily. She could relate to him oh so well. If she only could act and fairly she would, she just couldn´t. Being a witch and life itself had taught her that you can´t always do what´s right and noble because sometimes doing the right thing blocks important developments. Sad but true, everyone assumes life had to be fair but in fact life can´t be fair as long as people aren´t playing fair.

_The second circle of life: People are determined to play unfair was their only opportunity. This insularity is as good and as easy as an absolution._

"Believe me; I have tried everything within my human and my witch power to avert this prefigured doom. There simply is no choice. "Weakly, she leaned her head into her palms, shaking her head as if she couldn´t believe the means of her own explanations and the deeper meaning of them had finally reached her mind. With a sound similar to a cry, she was shaking her head in disbelief once more before her composure was retained. They all meant so much to her. Not only has she known Elena since she was being born, Stefan and her were connected through an old but rust-resistant bond of friendship. Never had she given any consideration in this prophecy let alone thought this could be more than a fairy. "No matter how hard this will be for all of us, Jenna needs your preferential treatment."

He looked her in the eyes but his stare was one of complete meaninglessness. Jenna was the only good aspect of this situation, the only aspect that made this whole mess a bit more bearable. "I would have loved to be around you when your "supervision", he drew imaginary quotation marks with his hands- "used to be funny and full of laughter and love." Sheila gave him a small nod her attention absorbed by the little birds in a nearby tree. "I bet you would." When fate had made it clear they all would have to spend their afterlives together they had been eyeballing each other as there was no tomorrow: The Salvatores, the Gilberts – their hostility was a definitive one. – The Lockwoods, The Forbes, The Fells. No-one wanted to see the satanic brood coming back to town. Especially Giuseppe and Grayson were accusing each other for their children´s behavior , always trying to pass the buck to the other. It took a great amount of time but in the end, the wranglers had to change their point of view: Complementing each other on their children and the unique symbiosis of their families. "You had the bad luck to join us when they decided to change their point of view an second time. After Stefan had left with Klaus it started all over again with the discrepancy that their connection seemed to have turned into a friendship." Alaric´s laugh was faked as he replied: "Call a spade a spade: It´s a complot. Plain and simple. I mean, even _John _has come to his senses; he hadn´t been that blind in the end. I would know, since I have had great reservations against Stefan." _He is what he is, Elena."_

_We all are what we are. We can´t neither change nor fix it. But we can try to make the most of it._

"But Grayson and Giuseppe are the only ones who don´t attend our meetings or our super visional sessions; though they don´t get tired in telling us they want to rescue them." The surprised look on his face underlining his statement turned into a mask of pure horror.

"Have you never wondered about Esther´s knowledge concerning April and the key?" Her observant look spoke volumes in such a way as Alaric was afraid to speak his mind. _It couldn´t be. _"But they´ve talked about rescuing them not…" _Not the contrary…_he said soundlessly.

"Oh, yes. In their mind´s that´s actually what they are about to do." Sheila said sadly. "They already got the ball rolling."

_When the spoken word and its meaning are contrary-Attention! The nuance is what makes speaking such a valuable invention._

* * *

**Cut!**


End file.
